Archive of Our Own

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Four years have passed since Ben's final victory of his greatest enemy, the tyrant Vilgax. During the interim, the Plumbers have since gained galaxy-wide notoriety. The rise in funds, recruits, and new technology provided by the Galvans and Highbreed have made them such a force to be reckoned with that Ben's heroics were no longer required. The twenty-year-old former hero has faded into the background, but a threat is rising that will change his life forever.

Tower of Hex, June 19th, 1:00 EDT

The ancient building's halls were bereft of noise except for the soft crackling of the library's fireplace, in front of which sat the master of the house. Hex, Master of the Staff of Ages, former Sorcerer Supreme, and professor at Friedkin University. His skull patterned face was set in a contented smile as he read one of his many tomes, simply enjoying the peace he had found in his later life. Closing the book softly, he got to his feet and silenced the fire with a wave of his hand. He left the library, heading towards the kitchen, seemingly oblivious to a shadow that flashed past the library's windows.
Entering the kitchen, he summoned a cup to his hand and watched as it filled itself with a warm golden brown liquid. Setting it down, he called two sugar cubes to his hand before freezing. He whirled around his eyes glowing with mystic energy
"Who dares come into my home unann-Hope!" Hex's threat was cut off in surprise as he realized the supposed intruder was, in fact, his long lost niece.
"H-Hello Uncle," Charmcaster gasped out, a pained smile on her beaten face. She took a step forward, her knees buckling as she went. Hex rushed forward to catch her, worry etched into his time-worn face.
Hex looked over Hope critically. Her long white hair was matted down with sweat, her purple eyes were red from exhaustion, and her normally pale skin had a greyish tint. Her purple jacket was torn in several places as were her black pants. The amulet around her neck glowed a harsh red and was cracked down the middle. The most worrying thing, however, was the brace of bandages wrapped around her waist. They appeared to be several days old and he could smell the sickening scent of putrefaction.
"Hope, what has happened to you?" Hex asked, his fingers forming complex patterns as he used his magic to heal Charmcaster's wounds and mending her clothes.
"I w-was attacked," Charmcaster said, fear and horror evident in her voice, "Ledgerdomain is in ruins..."
"How-how could that be?" Hex asked, floored.
"Adwaita returned and he wasn't alone," Hope answered, her eyes filling with tears.

A week ago

Ever since Charmcaster's rejected deal with Dagon, a voice had whispered in her mind twisting her further and further into madness. Today that voice was screaming.

("Fire! Fire everywhere!") The voice cried as Hope looked around distraught, (Burning! Burning without care!")

Ledgerdomain was burning. Her kingdom was besieged, her people fleeing for their lives. In the past, she wouldn't have cared or even fought in their defense, but losing her father for the second time had taught her many things. The first, fight for what you have!

"Extinguere!" Hope yelled, a wave of water pouring from her hands to quench the flames that were approaching a line of fleeing refugees.

Ignaceous, a Golem and her former enemy turned head guardsman raced forward to pick up a struggling mother and daughter carrying them to the portal that Charmcaster had erected.

After handing them off to one of his compatriots he marched back to Hope's side, watching her cast spell after spell.

"My Queen, we must leave," Ignaceous said, his pure white eyes pleading, as she looked up at him.

"Not until they are all through." Charmcaster cried, deflecting an incoming boulder with a wave of her hand.

"My Queen, you can not keep this up." he fired back, before letting out a long sigh, "We can't save them all."

"I can, and I will!" Hope cried, tears beginning to track down her face, "I killed them all once, I have to be able to save them."

("Let sing the last bell."), the voice whispered, ("Here comes the death knell.")

There was a crack like thunder and a section of Hope's guards disappeared in an explosion of gravel and bone. It was followed by a low chittering as the strange creatures that had assaulted her realm appeared. Part stone and part metal the creatures leaked a black and red muck that squirmed as it touched the ground. Each had single circular red-eye and fanged metal jaws though outside of that none had a congruent form. A cadaverously thin one with arm ending in a sharp blade let out a chittering cry before charging at Charmcaster.

It was intercepted by Ignaceous who grabbed its head in his rocky fist and squeezed, ending it in a burst of red-and-black fluid. Another leaped to take its place, its right arm twice as wide as the other. Charmcaster sidestepped the wild blow before pointing her hand at its chest.

"Vacuum." Hope cried, a ball of force firing from her hand. It struck the creature in the chest which immediately went concave as the spell worked its violent deed. She turned to see Ignaceous tiredly smiling at her before it melted away into abject horror.

"My Queen!" he roared, racing towards her.

Charmcaster whirled around and froze when she saw the massive reptilian monster that was bearing down upon her. Its red eyes glittered with a cold, harsh intelligence as sofa sized fist descended towards her. A heavy cold force slammed her aside, followed by the sound of shattering stone.

Charmcaster pushed herself up off the ground and cried in horror, "No!"

All that was left of Ignaceous was his head and the left side of his torso, he looked at his Queen one last time as the light began to leave his eyes.

"Run." he gasped out, his body crumpling to dust as his life left his body.

The huge reptile laughed cruelly before facing Charmcaster a smirk playing across its horned face.

("A man of rock was he."), the voice declared, ("With a better heart than the.")

Charmcaster got to her feet, her eyes blazing with purple energy. Glancing behind she was filled with relief as she watched the last of the refugees step through the portal. It did little to dissuade her grief or anger however as her eyes shifted to those who hadn't made it, their bodies strewn across the ground like puppets with their strings cut.

"So Queen Hope." the creature asked in a mocking tone, "Are you going to run?"

"No." she stated, taking a step forward, "You are. Ignis Draco!"

An immense burst of fire blasted from her mouth and seared the creature flesh, pushing it further and further from the portal. It snarled in pain and stumbled before disappearing in a flash of red light. In its place was a tall figure made of rock-and-flames.

"Ben?" Hope gasped, the deep feeling of betrayal and shock worming in to cool her anger.

"Not quite." the being responded, his tone dripping with malice. He walked calmly through the flames before transforming once again revealing a white-haired, red-eyed clone of fifteen-year-old Ben Tennyson. He wore a long red lab coat, black shirt, and pants. On his right hand was a red mechanical glove. His eyes were covered by red-lensed goggles.

"Albedo." the doppelganger supplied, seeing the confusion in her eyes, "And that name means nothing to you does it?"

"You come here ravage my home, kill my citizens, rob me of my friends and you have the gall to make jokes!" Charmcaster cried, her eyes igniting once again.

"Yes, well I suppose being stuck as Tennyson has forced me to pick up some of his rather unsavory habits." Albedo remarked, staring at the back of his hand, the conversation seeming to bore him.

"You bastard!" Charmcaster screamed, "Fulgur!"

A bolt of electricity blasted from her fingertips aimed directly at Albedo's heart. At the last second, it changed course abruptly, bouncing back towards Hope. She dodged aside and found herself at the feet of her old rival, Adwaita.

"Hope." the Geochelone, growled. The turtlelike alien's head was wreathed in bright purple flames as were his large clawed hands, "I have come to retake my throne."

"Don't call me that." Charmcaster spat, as Adwaita levitated her into the air.

"I will call you whatever I wish," he declared, sneering, "After I make you my slave."

"I will never serve you!" Charmcaster yelled, struggling against the magic holding her captive.

"It is not up to you." Adwaita said, his smirk becoming predatory, "I-"

"Put her down." a rasping voice said, cutting across whatever the Geochelone had been about to say.

Charmcaster turned her head and went wide-eyed at the sight before her. Towering over Adwaita was a being she only knew by name. Vilgax, Conqueror of Ten Worlds, Arch Nemesis to Ben Tennyson.

The towering Chimera Sui Generis had seen better days, the left half of his face was covered in burn scars and several of his tendrils ended in charred stumps. However, the most disturbing part was his left arm or lack thereof. In its place was a long red-and-black tendril that writhed and squirmed of its own volition. Occasionally part of it would drip to the ground and writhe for several seconds before falling still.

Adwaita stared at Vilgax for several seconds before the later spoke again, "I do not like to repeat myself Geochelone."

"I am not one of your minions Vilgax." Adwaita spat, glaring up at him, "I will do whatever I please."

"I will not ask a third time," Vilgax warned, his red eyes glinting with fury.

"Do not threaten me you squid!" Adwaita yelled, "I am the rightful ruler of Ledgerdomain and you are nothing more than a broken husk of what you once were. Your plans will amount to nothing without me! So remember your pla-"

Vilgax stepped back, impassive eyes watching as Adwaita's headless body slumped to the ground. His head, no longer wreathed in flames, fell to the ground with a head smack.

("Off went his head"), the voice whispered, ("Now he lies dead.")

Charmcaster fell to the ground and scrambled backward away from Vilgax as fast as she could.

"I never needed you, Adwaita." Vilgax rasped, crushing the sorcerer's head beneath his boot. He then turned his eyes on Charmcaster, "You were just a means to an end."

Hex stared at his niece with a mixture of horror and fear muddling his face, "My dear, how did you escape?"
They had moved back to the library, the fire roaring once more, as Charmcaster sagged in her seat across from Hex.
"I ran." Charmcaster stated simply, "I opened portal after portal, stepping on worlds I have never seen before. When I finally felt like I had lost them I came here."
"Well, my dear it is a good thing you did." Hex declared, standing up from his seat by the fire, "Any more use of your magic would have killed you in the state you were in."
"Uncle," Charmcaster said, unsteadily getting to her feet, "We need help. We must contact the Tennysons, Ben knows more about fighting...
She trailed off as Hex held up his hand, his eyes set in deep concentration. He turned to his niece, his eyes set in a hard glare.
"We are not alone," he stated before turning on his heel and firing a blast of arcane energy at the nearest bookshelf. A salamander-like figure detached from the wall and rolled to the side before disappearing in a flash of red light revealing Albedo.
"How?" Charmcaster demanded, reading her own spell only for Hex to shake his head and push her behind him.
"Well, if it had been anyone else, you would have lost them splendidly," Albedo bragged, slowly walking towards the two, "But alas I am not anyone else, in fact, it was almost child's play to track you down. Being the smartest being in five galaxies has its advantages you know."
"What do you want Galvan?" Hex demanded, his hands crackling with magic.
Albedo smirked, clearly not seeing Hex as much of a threat, "Well first I would like you to hand over your Staff of Ages, then Charmcaster."
His smirk gained a hard edge to it, "I require her assistance. If you comply we'll walk right on out, no muss, no fuss. So what do you say? Deal?"
"Over my dead body." Hex supplied the Staff of Ages appearing in his grasp.
"Gladly." Albedo said sadistically. The glass behind him shattered as two of his amalgamated creations burst through the window and launched themselves at Hex.
Hex raced to meet them, staff glowing with bright orange flames. He lifted his hand at the first amalgam and smirked as it was crushed like a tin can, red-and-black fluid leaking everywhere. The second managed to rake its misshapen talons across it's back, earning a fireball down its throat for the trouble.
"Is that all?" Hex asked, resting his staff on his shoulder.
Albedo shook his head lazily, "Not even close."
Six more of the amalgams crawled through the broken window as Albedo transformed, taking on the form of a white-skinned, raptor-like alien. He then began to race around the room at supersonic speeds sending everything into a panicked frenzy.
Hex batted one of the amalgams into the fireplace which closed around it like the maw of a hungry dragon. He grabbed another by the face and sent a blast of electricity through its metallic skin, turning it to ash in moments. He then slammed his staff onto the ground causing the whole floor to ripple knocking everything but himself and Hope off their feet.
Hex closed his eyes tight pouring all of his energy into the Staff of Ages before speaking a single word, "Patefacio."
There was a sound like ripping paper as a rift appeared in the center of the room, it yawned wide revealing utter darkness, which Hex sent the living amalgams careening into with a harsh blast of wind. The portal snapped closed, leaving Albedo alone against the fuming Sorcerer.
"You destroyed my homeland!" Hex cried, firing a blast of ice at Albedo who dodged it easily.
"You killed my people!" another spell fired from the Staff blasting a wide column of air that knocked Albedo back
"You invaded my home!" Hex yelled, a blast of fire managing to catch Albedo's side sending him to the ground.
"And you harmed my niece!" Hex roared, causing the stonework of the building itself to come alive and pin Albedo to the wall.
"This is the end." Hex said, walking up to Albedo, a blade of pure magic growing from the mouth of the Staff, forming a scythe.
"Indeed it is." a voice rasped behind him, as he felt something incredibly sharp pierce through his pack and out his chest, "For you."
Vilgax stood silhouetted against the moon, his tendril having crossed the entire room to punch through Hex on the other side. The tentacle retracted causing Hex to slump to the ground blood pooling on his lips. The Staff of Ages fell from his grasp and was snatched up by the now freed Albedo, who sneered down at the dying sorcerer before walking away.
"No, Uncle!" Charmcaster screamed, struggling against the grasp of the amalgams that were dragging her away.
"Silence spell weaver!" Vilgax snapped, turning his back on the dying sorcerer and his weeping niece.
"I'm going to kill you!" Charmcaster screamed, a manic light burning in her eyes.
Vilgax knelt down, his tendril cupping her chin, "I would like to see you try. I have survived death ten times over and the last revealed the answer to something that I have dreamed of for nearly a decade. The death of Ben Tennyson.:
"I will never help you!" Charmcaster spat, "Never."
"Oh, you will." Vilgax said, reaching into his right-hand pocket, "In fact, I think you even might enjoy it."
Charmcaster tried to pull away as he brought his hand closer to her face, black light seeping from between his fingers as he neared her forehead.
("Oh how unfair,") the voice pouted as it became quieter and quieter, ("Here comes the Nightmare.")
Hex watched on, his life's blood slowly draining away. As his spirit left his body he cast one final spell announced by a single word.
"Gwendolyn."
Nearly half a world away Gwendolyn Tennyson woke with a start, her eyes glowing bright pink.

Bellwood, June 19th 7:00 EDT

"Ben."
Ben Tennyson grumbled in his sleep, turning over slightly trying to ignore the voice.
"Ben!" the voice repeated, a bit more urgently.
"Five more minutes," Ben muttered.
"Benjamin Tennyson, wake up this instant!" the voice yelled, finally prompting Ben to open his eyes. The first thing he saw was his former partner's yellow catlike eyes inches from his face.
He let out a yelp of surprise, scrambling backward, teetering off his bed and onto the floor.
"What the hell Rook?" Ben grumbled, pushing himself to his feet, "What are you doing here?"
"There has been an incident." Rook said, his face set in what Ben liked to call, 'Mission Mode'.
"What is it this time?" Ben asked nonchalantly, stretching, "Ssserpent get out? Animo back to his old tricks? Oh let me guess, Fistrick was caught using alien steroids again?"
"Hex was murdered." Rook declared, watching as Ben immediately tensed.
Ben turned around, his emerald eyes hard, "Tell me everything."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

English Plumber Base(Torchwood), June 19th, 1:40 EDT

"Commander Jack, we've got an unexpected entry." a lesser Plumber cried out as an alarm started blaring across the base.
"Oh, who's broken in here this time," Jack muttered, pulling his pistol from his belt. He walked around the corner, his eyes peeled for a familiar or maybe this time unfamiliar face.
"If this is another one of his jokes, I swear…" he trailed off when he saw who was standing before him. She was in her early twenties, with pale skin, bright green eyes, and long disheveled red hair. She wore a set of black sweat pants and a blue t-shirt with a cat motif, but his eyes were more immediately drawn to the pink energy coalesced around her shaking fists.
"Gwen?" Jack said, putting on a rather charming smile, "What are you doing here?"
"I need to get a message to my grandfather," Gwen said, barely contained tears marking the sides of her face.
"What's wrong?" Harkness asked.
He had worked sporadically with the young woman over the intervening years since she and her cousin had retired from the Plumbers, and in all that time, he had never seen her like this. He never enjoyed seeing people cry.
"Hex, he's dead," Gwen said, her voice breaking slightly.
Jack froze for several seconds before shouting out several orders, "Get me in touch with HQ now! Recall Blanco, he's going to want in on this one, and for the love of whatever god you find holy, someone grab me a beer!"
"What happened?" he asked, turning back to Gwen, a storm of emotions flashing behind intense hazel eyes.

Torchwood 7:30 EDT

The teleporter snapped to life, depositing Ben and Rook before closing once more. Ben was dressed in his classic green jacket, over a black shirt, cargo pants, and shin-high combat boots. His face was set in a determined grimace, while Rook's was his classic professional deadpan. They walked forward, avoiding the looks and muttered of some of the new recruits before finding their way into Harkness's office. Ben's grimace disappeared upon seeing Jack's other visitor.
"Gwen!" Ben cried.
His cousin whirled around, a sad smile crossing across her face. Her hair had been pulled back in a hasty ponytail while she had replaced her sleepwear with a black sweater, black pants, and black heels. She almost jumped into his arms as she embraced him, her grief overpowering her.
"It's been a while," Ben muttered, putting her down. He looked at her with a quirked eyebrow for several seconds and smirked, "Did you get smaller?"
"Oh hush." she said, smacking on the shoulder lightly before turning to Rook with a more subdued smile, "Hello Rook."
"Good to see you again, Gwendolyn," Rook said, a small smile crossing his features.
A cough drew their attention to Harkness, who was sitting at his desk, his eyes traveling over Ben, "Jack Harkness, nice to meet you."
"Oh stop," Gwen said exasperatedly, shooting Jack a piercing look.
"What?" Jack queried, "I'm just saying hi."
"Sure you are." Gwen admonished, turning back to her cousin, "He's the leader of the Plumber's here in Britain, and he's worked with Paradox before."
"Actually, I said I worked with a time traveler, I never mentioned…." Jack cut to a halt when Gwen shot him another exhausted look, "Right, not the time. So I'm guessing you heard what happened?"
Ben nodded, "Hex was killed in his home by a mysterious assailant. Rook said you found something but wanted me to see it in person."
"Correct." Jack declared, standing up from his desk.
"Why?" Ben asked, following Jack and the others out of the former's office.
"You'll just have to see for yourself." Jack said, turning to Gwen, "If you would, amour?"
"I told you to stop saying that." Gwen remarked, her eyes glowing with magical energy, "Kevin doesn't like it."
"That Levin is quite a looker himself, you know, it's too bad you found each other before I did," Jack stated nonchalantly, earning an eye-roll from Gwen and a look of pure confusion from Ben and Rook.
"Ignore him." Gwen advised, the light in her eyes growing brighter, "It's for the best."
"Nos ad Hex Terris!" Gwen cried, a flash of pink light obscuring everyone's sight. When their sight returned, they found themselves outside of Hex's home, the sun just peeking from behind the Tower, which had clearly seen its better days.
"There is substantial damage all across the uppermost part of the tower." Rook observed, pointing his Omni-Tool at the wreckage around them, "I am also detecting odd energy signatures all along the tower's surface."
"What did this?" Ben asked, staring up at the shattered window.
"It's about time you got here." a voice called out. The assembled heroes looked up to see Kevin Levin, standing atop the outside of the wall right next to a pair of large craters, "You're going to want to take a look at this."
"I'll leave you four to it." Jack said, staring around at the forest with his eyes narrowed, "Max wants me to report into HQ, message me if anything comes up."
He then disappeared in a flash of white light but not before shooting the others a playful wink.
"Wait, why did he even come with us if he was just going to leave again?" Rook asked, confused.
"Don't ask." Gwen said with an exasperated sigh, "When it comes to Jack, you can never guess what he's going to do next."
Rook nodded, before looking up at the Tower, which Ben had already begun to walk towards, "Do you sense anything out of place here other than what is evident?"
Gwen shivered slightly, "Something inside that Tower feels twisted. The mana coming from it is just wrong."
"Come on, you two!" Ben yelled, already at the base of the Tower.

Inside the Tower

Kevin grimaced slightly as he watched Gwen stumble towards Hex's dead body. The older man had been an enemy turned compatriot, not unlike Levin himself. After his true niece had entered self-imposed exile, Hex had started to treat Gwen like family, mentoring her in the schools of magic. His sudden and evidently cruel death was hitting her hard.
"Oh, Hex." Gwen muttered, using magic to seal the hole in his chest while simultaneously wiping the blood away from his lips, "What did this to you?"
"My guess is one of these things," Ben muttered, kicking one of the dead Amalgams. He hadn't known Hex as intimately as Gwen had but seeing the old man's body tossed aside like a broken doll was clearly angering him.
"What are they?" Kevin asked, bending down next to the other creature, which unlike its comrade, who was a mashed up mess, looked largely unharmed. He rolled it over and jumped back slightly as the things fanged jaws fell open suddenly. As he watched, a line of black-and-red liquid began to leak from its open jaws.
"Ugly bastard." Kevin muttered, examining the tech embedded into its stony flesh, "These ports look like Psyphon's tech, but he's been locked up in Plumber HQ since that fiasco with the Pyroxivores."
"The stone is similar to that skin of the Rock Golems of Ledgerdomain," Rook said, bending down next to Kevin, "But the metal is reminiscent of that found on Vilgax's old bioids."
"Which went up in flames alongside old squid-face five years ago." Ben muttered, staring down at the amalgam, "Think somebody did some kind of salvage job?"
"The Vreedles, maybe?" Rook queered, staring up at the others.
"No." Gwen said, looking up from Hex's corpse, "These things reek of black magic."
"So, a black magic expert made these?" Ben asked, kneeling next to the body. The Omnitrix lit up suddenly, a projection scanning up and down the creature's form.
"Corrupted Galvanic Mechamorph DNA detected," the watch said in Ben's voice, "Would you like to attempt repair?"
"Corrupted Galva-No!" Ben yelled, a look of shocked anger and disappointment on his face, "He died. He and Vilgax, I spaced them!"
"Ben, what's wrong?" Gwen asked, taken aback by her cousin's sudden outburst.
"That sludge, it's Malware." Ben stated, glaring intensely down at the amalgam, "And if he's back…."
He stopped talking, activating the Omnitrix. He dialed past several aliens before finally locking in a transformation. His skin turned a burnished gold while his limbs extended, metallic plating forming across them. There was a flash of green, and standing in his place was Clockwork.
The key in the top of the alien's head began to spin, the room around them flashed green, and suddenly, they were all back in time.
"Charmcaster!" Gwen cried in surprise, staring at her former rival.
True enough, Hex was comforting his niece before turning on his heel and firing an attack at a nearby wall. A shape detached and transformed into a very familiar but somewhat twisted face.
"Albedo," Ben muttered, watching as his doppelganger said something to Hex, leading to two of the amalgams smashing through the window. The assembled heroes watched enraptured as Hex fought off the monsters and then turned on Albedo, nearly beating him when a sharp blade suddenly shot across the room and impaled Hex through the chest.
The group winced, Gwen reaching for the image of Hex with tears in her eyes, while Ben turned, his metallic hands clenching into tight fists at the sight of the attacker.
"No," he murmured, glaring up at the mangled yet still menacing form of Vilgax before him. The time wraith paid him no mind as he let Hex drop the ground and then rounded on Charmcaster. Albedo knelt, snatching Hex's staff from his hand. He walked up next to Vilgax as he knelt in front of their captive and began to show her something wrapped in his remaining fist when the vision guttered to a stop as a black light filled the assembled heroes' sight.
Kevin blinked several times, fighting to get his vision back, "What was that?"
"I don't know," Gwen muttered, rubbing the tears from her eyes, "Vilgax never showed any inkling of interest in Magic before. It doesn't make sense that he'd come after Hex and Charmcaster."
"Something has clearly changed then," Rook noted, "Though if he was just after Magic, why did he leave all of Hex's books untouched?"
"So he's got something new up his sleeve. The only mystery is what exactly it might be," Kevin stated, putting a consoling hand on his girlfriend's shoulder.
"Does it even matter?" Ben snapped, his hands trembling slightly, "He's back, and he needs to be put down before he kills someone else."
"But he could be anywhere." Rook pointed out, "How will we-"
He was cut off when the mostly undamaged Amalgam sprang to life and launched itself teeth first at the unexpecting Plumber's throat. Rook fell backward, his Omni-Tool the only thing keeping the ravening beast from biting into his throat.
Clockwork marched forward and grabbed the creature by the back of its now writhing neck. The ooze squelched under his fingers as he ripped the beast of his friend with a mighty tug and then turned it to face him.
"Tennyssson." the creature rasped, its voice slick and menacing.
"Where is Vilgax," Ben said, glaring back at the beast as it tried to bite into his metal flesh with little success.
The creature responded with a guttural hiss and tried to bite him once again. Ben grimaced and slammed the creature to the floor using his impressive weight to keep it pinned, "Gwen!"
"What?" she asked, taking a step towards the writhing pair.
"Read its mind, sense it's mana! Anything!" Ben yelled, "If this thing is Malware, then it will still have a connection to the part stuck to Vilgax. It's our only chance to find him!"
Gwen nodded, her eyes glowing pink as she used her magic for ripping into the creature's addled mind and prying out the piece of information she was looking for. With a harsh smile, she then crushed the creature's head in a pink vise, ending it before it could bite into Ben's more vulnerable face.
Ben sat up, wiping the black-and-red sludge off his face before transforming back to human, "That was...disgusting."
"Sorry." Gwen apologized, giving her cousin a hand-up, "On the bright side though, I learned where Vilgax is."
A dark smile crossed Ben's face, "Good, I'm finishing this. Today."
"We're with you." Rook said, readying his Omni-tool, while Kevin just nodded his agreement, hands still wrapped protectively around Gwen's shoulders.
"No, Rook, I need you to head back to HQ. Tell Grandpa Max what's coming."
"What will you do?" Rook asked.
"We," Ben said, gesturing at Gwen, Kevin, and himself, "Are going to meet Vilgax. Head on."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Stonehenge, June 19th, 10:00 EDT

A flash of pink light preceded Ben, Kevin, and Gwen's appearance next to the ancient monument. Ben took in the ancient standing stones for several seconds, before marching forward.
"So where are they?" Ben asked impatiently, his eyes scanning the area suspiciously.
"They should be here," Gwen answered, staring at his worriedly, "Ben do you even have a plan for when we find them?"
"Yeah, we're going to free Charmcaster, recapture Albedo, and then I'm going to put Vilgax down for good," Ben growled, his fists shaking slightly.
"That's not really a plan." Kevin noted, shrugging off the dark look Ben gave him, "Besides you and I both know every time we think Vilgax is down for the count he just comes back, what's going to change this time?"
"This time?" Ben asked, activating the Omnitrix and choosing the first alien he saw. His skin turned a light tan as he grew taller before he was finally replaced with Humungousaur, "I'm not leaving anything up to chance, no spacing, no explosions, no supposedly inescapable prisons, it all ends today."
The others shared a worried look, failing to notice the black-coloration that was filling in the corners of Ben's eyes.
He stomped around for several seconds before suddenly lashing out, nearly demolishing one of the standing stones in his fury.
"Ben!" Gwen cried, glaring up at him, "What's wrong with you?"
Ben blinked, surprised at his own actions, "Sorry I-I just can't let him get away again."
"Don't worry, Tennyson we'll get him." Kevin reassured, staring around at the standing stones, "If we knew exactly where they are. I mean you'd think a twenty-foot tall squid-man would stand out."
Gwen's eyes flashed pink, though with her as well the faintest hint of black appeared at the corner of her eyes, "They're underneath us!"
"What do you mean?" Humungousaur asked, staring down at her surprised.
"I mean they are literally under our feet." Gwen said, her eyes widening slightly, "I can sense Malware's twisted energy deep below ground."
"Stand back." Ben remarked, slapping the Omnitrix symbol on his chest, replacing Humungousaur with Armodrillo, "I'll make us a way down."
"Wait!" Gwen yelled, her eyes still pink as she stared around at the standing stones around them, "There's no need. I think I can open a way down."
"Open a way down how?" Kevin asked, his eyes scanning the monoliths for any detail of alien tech, "I don't see anything reminiscent of a DNA scanner or a recognition system?"
"Correct," Gwen said, her eyes gaining the black tint once again, "The path down is a little more discreet."
Her hands ignited with pink energy. She lifted her arms and began making intricate gestures in the air. For several seconds nothing happened before suddenly the henge erupted into a cacophony of rainbow-colored light. The light began to coalesce around the center of the henge before it snapped outward with an audible crack. That crack was followed by a low rumble as Stonehenge itself began to shift, uprooting the ground around it as the separate standing stones began to realign themselves with each other until they formed a somewhat spiral staircase pattern. The rumbling increased as the stones then began to sink into the ground revealing a complete staircase that led deep into the earth beneath the henge.
"Way to go, babe," Kevin said, catching Gwen as she stumbled slightly.
"Yeah, nice job Gwen." Ben said, transforming back into his normal self, "Let's go."
With that the trio descended the staircase, missing the light at the center of henge suddenly turn an impossibly deep black color.
For the first several minutes the descent was fairly peaceful. Of course, that ended rather quickly when several amalgams detached from the ceiling, taking the heroes by surprise. Gwen managed to turn one into a pile of slag and glowing rock with an impressive blast of pink fire, while Kevin shattered the second's head with a nickel-covered fist courtesy of some change in his pocket. Ben meanwhile dodged backward, transforming as he went his skin becoming crystalline. A second later Diamondhead was standing in his place, and the final amalgam earned itself a crystal shard right through the eye.
Ben stared down at the dead amalgam and shuddered slightly, as red and black liquid began to pour from its open jaws, "I still don't understand how they turned Malware into that."
"His mana is even more corrupted then it was originally." Gwen said, bending down next one Kevin had decapitated, "His mind, it's almost gone. All he feels now if hunger and a need to follow Vilgax's orders."
"Let's get moving," Ben remarked, as he shifted back to human. He looked down at the remains of his enemy one last time before continuing down the steps, the others only a pace behind him.
They eventually reached the bottom of the stairs finding a forked path before them. Ben turned to face the others with a grim expression.
"I'll go left, you guys head right, keep in contact with the comms alright." He said, walking off without any further direction. Gwen and Kevin stared after him for several seconds, then headed down their respective tunnel.

Ben walked in silence for what felt like hours until he suddenly found himself in a large open chamber. As he walked in he noticed what looked to be a rather detailed mural that covered most of the opposite wall.
The leftmost side depicted what looked to be seven women, each holding a small stone above their head. The largest was colored a brilliant white and was wreathed in what looked like clouds. To her left was a slightly smaller harsh red figure, who seemed to be surrounded by red ripples, while beside her was a soothing orange figure with a starburst covering her chest, and next to her was a light yellow figure with a starburst around her head. To the right of the white figure was a cold green figure surrounded in tick marks that reminded Ben of a clock, her neighbor was colored a deep blue and was surrounded by stars while the final figure was a lustrous purple that was surrounded by flames.
The next picture showed the women facing off against a group of seven faceless figures, a minuscule green creature, a skeletal being holding a large scythe, a man with great ram horns, a man stepping out of a swirling blue portal, a woman surrounded in pink fire, a giant with bruised purple skin, and an indistinct grey figure who was following the others at a much slower pace.
The next mural depicted the seven new figures victorious each holding a stone in their hands. The green creature held the white stone in his hand, the reaper holding the yellow stone reverently in his skeletal palm, the horned man held the blue stone close to his chest, at the center of the portal sat the green stone, the man nowhere in sight while the pink wreathed woman cupped the red stone in both hands, the giant held the purple stone above his head and the grey figure had pressed the orange stone to his forehead.
The second to last drawing showed the giant suddenly turning against his fellows, grabbing the white stone as well as the purple, his body suddenly becoming wreathed in black.
What followed next could only be explained as war. One that seemed to tear the entire universe in two. At its center the giant and an army of abominations facing off against his former fellows, each at the head of their own army. The final piece of the drawing showed the giant being cast into a deep pit while his fellows stood above, though falling with him was the white stone, a hint of black beginning to overtake it.
The final drawing showed the remaining six going their separate ways, leaving the white gem alone, though it was now wreathed in a dark black, that seemed to be overcoming the white. Above them, all hung a golden gauntlet, that each figure seemed to not be able to look at.
"What is this?" Ben wondered allowed, reaching for his comms, "Hey Gwen, I think you're going to want to see what I just found."
"What is it?" she asked, her voice crackling over the comms.
"It's a mural depicting a group of people fighting over a bunch of rocks." Ben stated flatly, "I don't exactly understand what it all means-"
"Of course you don't." a snide voice remarked causing Ben to freeze, and whirl around to face the intruder. Glaring back him at his own face, though about five years younger with stark white hair.
"I, however, understand the meaning quite well, now that my eyes have been opened to the truth." Albedo remarked, a smug grin plastered across his face.
"Ben, what is it?" Gwen asked.
"It's Albedo he's, Ow!" Ben ripped his comm out of his ear as it began to spark and smolder.
"Oh sorry." Albedo deadpanned, smirking as he put the small remote away, "Did that hurt?"
"What are you doing here Albedo?" Ben asked, his hand twitching towards the Omnitrix, "The last time you worked with Vilgax he hung you out to dry, literally."
"I'm not working with Vilgax." Albedo said, pulling off his goggles to reveal solid black eyes, "I'm doing something so much greater than serving that old squid."
"What happened to your eyes?" Ben asked, taking a step back.
"As I said Tennyson, my eyes have been opened." Albedo said, his face suddenly elongating as he rapidly changed into XLR8 and then evolved. His jaw elongated into a fanged mouth, while the large claws grew into one razor-sharp blade, his legs grew larger and the sphere between his toes transformed into a circular blade, while spines erupted along his spine going all the way down his tail which now ended in a lethally sharp needle-thin point.
"Your's are close to opening as well." the doppelganger remarked.
Ben, reaching for his own eyes a question forming on his lips, only for Albedo's body to begin vibrating.
Ben quickly activated the Omnitrix and slammed down the faceplate. His body was enveloped in green light as his body shrunk.
"Jury Rigg!" Ben yelled, before looking down at the Omnitrix, "Really, four years later and you still feel like playing jokes?"
"Perfect," Albedo growled, shooting forward, his blades poised to remove Ben's head.

"Ha!" Kevin laughed, smashing another one of the amalgams aside with a hammer, before bringing it down onto the creature's head, turning it into a mashed pile of metal and Mechamorph, "Man I've missed this. My blood hasn't been running this hot since Valentine's Day!"
"Really?" Gwen snapped, shooting him a deadpanned look. This didn't stop her from turning three other amalgams into piles of melting slag, however.
"What it's not like they're going to tell anyone?" Kevin joked, shattered another amalgam against a wall with a solid punch.
Gwen rolled her eyes, before launching a lightning bolt right past his left ear, causing an amalgam's head to erupt with a violent spatter.
"Whoa!" Kevin yelled, jumping to the side, "Wasn't that a little close?"
"I wasn't aiming at the monster," Gwen said sweetly, before turning a corner. Kevin followed behind, his bravado a bit stunted, only to immediately bump into her.
"Gwen, what's wrong?" Kevin asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. She only shook her head and pointed in front of her. Standing with her back to them was Charmcaster, standing completely still, her head cocked the side as if listening to something.
"Charmcaster!" Gwen hissed, stepping towards her rival cautiously, "Are you alright?"
"Gwen?" Charmcaster asked, not turning around, "Is that you?"
"Yes, we came to get you out of here," Gwen assured, taking another step forward, while Kevin stayed back making sure none of the amalgams would catch them by surprise.
"Is that so?" Charmcaster remarked, turning around to reveal she was holding Hex's staff and her eyes were solid black.
"What happened to you?" Gwen asked, her senses suddenly bombarded on all sides with a malevolent presence that seemed to have taken over Charmcaster's mind.
"She opened my eyes." Charmcaster said reverently, "She's trying to open yours as well."
Charmcaster suddenly leveled the staff at Gwen and fired a blast of energy from it. Gwen managed to dodge out of the way but the unaware Kevin ended up taking the shot in the back. He slammed against the opposite wall with a loud clang. Gwen whirled around to make sure he was okay and was caught unaware as two amalgams dropped from the ceiling separating her from her boyfriend.
She prepared to turn the creatures into a pair of craters when a burst of black energy crashed into her back. She immediately began to feel faint as if she hadn't slept in days. She stumbled slightly, turning to face Charmcaster how had raised the Staff of Ages overhead.
"She beckons." Charmcaster muttered, bringing the staff down against Gwen's head with a sickening crack, knocking her unconscious "And I follow."
She then cast a spell that revealed the bare wall she had been facing was only an illusion and walked through one of the amalgams following close behind with Gwen draped over its misshapen shoulder.
Kevin rolled over, his strength returning and watched in horror as Gwen was carried away, he tried to push himself to his feet and raised a hand after her.
"Gwen!" he yelled, managing to push himself up to his knees.
Charmcaster turned at his yell and gave him a cold smile. She snapped her fingers and turned away as the tunnel behind her began to collapse in on itself.
Kevin rolled out of the way of the cave-in and found himself surrounded by at least thirty of the amalgams, which collectively let out a rasping hiss.
"Try me," Kevin muttered, both hands turning into large spiked maces.
Ben barely managed to dodge out of the way of Albedo's attack, Jury Rigg's jumper gaining a long thin tear from the incredibly quick slash.
Ben glared up at his doppelganger, who was clearly toying with him, XLR8 could move faster than that in an unevolved state. This form, well he doubted he would only have a tear in his shirt if Albedo had been attacking him in earnest.
"I believe you are at a disadvantage Tennyson." Albedo pointed out, scrapping the long blade along the wall, creating an ear-wrenching screech.
"You sure about that?" Jury Rigg asked with a gleeful smirk. He then punched the Omnitrix symbol and twisted. Four prongs embedded into his stomach, and his entire form was surrounded in a green sphere.
Albedo flash stepped towards him and slashed at the bubble only for the blade to slam against a muscley purple fist. Albedo's eyes widened considerably as another massive fist came out of the sphere and slammed into his body, sending him careening into the opposite wall.
"Ultimate Jury Rigg!" two voices cried out, one deep and reminiscent of a cockney accent, the other high pitched almost feminine with a hint of a posh British lilt.
Albedo shook his head, clearing his blurry vision. He glared at the figure, no figures, across from him with unbridled hate.
Where Jury Rigg once stood two figures had appeared. Albedo's assailant was nearly ten feet tall, with thick purple skin, massive arms, a pitbull-like face with a large misshapen nose and small green eyes. It was dressed in a pair of black overalls, a small green vest, and black fingerless gloves. It stood hunched like a gorilla using its massive forearms to support its body. On its back was a large black basket, in which sat another figure.
It had light pink skin, slightly atrophied arms and legs, an oversized cranium, a thin pointed nose, and large expressive green eyes. It wore a green overcoat, a small black top hat, and white pants. A smooth smile crossed the smaller being's face.
"As you can clearly ascertain," the Brain stated matter-a-factly, "I asked Azmuth, the actual greatest mind in five galaxies mind you, to add the evolution feature to the Omnitrix some time ago. Just in case I ever needed to, how did I put it?
"Go big, go home." the Brawn finished, earning a pat on the head from his partner.
"Yes, very good Brawn." Brain said, a grin crossing his face, "Let's go big shall we?"
"He, he, he." Brawn laughed, standing up to his full height and cracking his knuckles expectantly, "Break time."
"Indeed." Brain said, leaping off of his partner's back as it suddenly charged at Albedo who despite his great speed wasn't prepared for the sudden attack. Brain meanwhile started fiddling with the broken comm, its eyes glowing a dull green.
The Brawn crashed through the wall, tossing Albedo to the ground of the tunnel beyond. Albedo grunted hard before flash stepping out of the next attack. He began flashing back and forth slashing at the Brawn intermittently but not seeming to do more than leave minor scratches rather than the deep cuts he was seeking.
The Brawn let out an irritated roar after missing Albedo for about the fiftieth time and suddenly lashed out shattering the ground beneath them into gravel. Albedo stumbled, narrowly missing a stalactite through the brain. His good luck failed however when the Brawn grabbed hold of UXLR8's tail, ignoring the spines entirely. The behemoth then proceeded to smash Albedo into every available surface. Eventually, it stopped tossing the bloody and nearly unconscious Albedo to the ground, where he transformed back into his human form.
"Admirable job." the Brain said, coming around the corner. He stared down at Albedo for several seconds, "It appears that we are done here, come let us find out companions and stop Vilgax once and for all."
"Okay," Brawn said, picking up his partner with incredible care for a being so strong and placed him in the basket on his back.
The pair managed to make it several minutes before finally finding Kevin under heavy fire from what appeared to be a new form of amalgam, all of which had a large repeater cannon replacing one of their arms.
The duo charged only for the Omnitrix to time out at that moment, sending Ben careening to the ground.
"Really," Ben muttered at the Omnitrix, looking up at the assembled amalgams, half of which were now pointing their blasters at him.
An energy blast nearly took Ben's head off as he leaped over a collapsed stone column. Ducking behind it, he breathed in deeply before glancing to his side where Kevin sat his stone covered face a hard grimace. They were trapped in a dead-end stone tunnel, deep underground, with at least fifty amalgams blasting away at their position.
"You really did it this time Tennyson," Kevin muttered, flinching as a laser-bolt grazed the stone next to his head.
"Seriously?" Ben fired back, scrolling through his choice of aliens.
"Yes, you suggested going in guns blazing." Kevin remarked, jabbing his finger over his shoulder at the swarming amalgams charging towards them, "And like usual, we are up the creek! Gwen's captured, your running on empty and I've got nothing but stone to absorb without risking getting riddled with holes!"
Ben made to retort when an amalgam smashed through the pillar they were hiding behind, slamming them both to the ground. Another leaped onto Kevin and began pummeling him mercilessly while the original grabbed Ben by the neck and slammed him into a pillar.
His vision immediately blurred, though he managed to make out the metallic fist coming towards his face just before everything went black.
The amalgams stopped their assault almost immediately as the bloodied and bruised Albedo limped around the corner, his face set in a determined scowl.
"Bring them." he spat, his black eyes burning with unbridled contempt.

Beneath Stonehenge, June 21st, 23:01 EDT

Ben woke up slowly, his vision cloudy and his head aching. Where was he? How much time had passed? He looked around, catching sight of Gwen and Kevin, who were also glaring around at their location with trepidation. All of their arms were chained above their heads, though both Gwen and Kevin's shone with dark energy. They were in a massive cave, and at the very center was a pedestal seeming made of pure obsidian. Kneeling before it was a massive cloaked figure, who looked up when they felt Ben's eyes upon them.
"Tennyson." a cold voice croaked, "You finally awaken."
"Vilgax," Ben growled, glaring up at the once-powerful warlord. Vilgax looked more like a hermit then a feared ruler, a long black cloak hung over his body, though Ben could clearly make out the scarred and pitted armor beneath. Vilgax's face was a mess of scars, several of his tentacles even ending in charred stumps. However, the massive quivering tentacle that had replaced his right arm caught most of his attention. That and the fact that just like Albedo, Vilgax's eyes had changed to a dark soulless black, though they still glinted with the searing hot hatred then Ben had grown accustomed to.
"Today is that last time we will be seeing each other Tennyson." Vilgax remarked, looming over the chained hero, "In this life or the next."
Ben sneered up at his oldest enemy, "I doubt I'd be seeing much of you in the afterlife anyway."
"Always so brave, ever prepared with some witty remark." Vilgax muttered, "And yet even you will falter before Her."
"Her who?" Ben spat.
"She who pulled me from the void, she who remade Malware into not just my armor, but the most loyal servant I could have hoped for, she who brought me Albedo and set me on the path of the young spell weaver. She who will finally allow me to achieve my Dream."
"How poetic." Ben remarked sarcastically, "But you still haven't told me who she is."
"Oh, do not worry you shall meet her soon enough," Vilgax remarked, cryptically, "But first she must be appeased."
He then marched towards Gwen looming over her, "Turn into your other form."
"Why would I do that!" Gwen yelled, glaring up at the alien.
"Because, if you don't," Vilgax whispered menacingly, pointing at Kevin with his good hand, "Your mate will die."
As if on cue, Albedo appeared next to Kevin in his evolved Kincerelean form, his blade positioned across Kevin's throat.
"Don't." Kevin remarked, smirking at Albedo, "They're bluffing."
"I never bluff." Vilgax remarked, not bothering to turn around to look at him, his eyes locked on Gwen's face, "And I do not like to repeat myself. Take your other form!"
"Don't listen, Gwen!" Kevin and Ben yelled simultaneously, only for both to suddenly earn long cuts across their faces, before Albedo reappeared next to Kevin placing his blade back across the chained man's throat.
"Do it, Or you will watch him die," Vilgax warned his cold eyes burrowing into hers.
Gwen stayed silent for several seconds, seconds which Vilgax took as a refusal. He nodded at Albedo who raised his blade to drew back his blade to remove Kevin's head.
"Stop!" Gwen cried, her skin peeling away to reveal her true form. Glowing pink tears tracked down her face, "Please."
Albedo lowered his blade, while Vilgax reached out surprisingly gently and wiped one of her tears from her face. Then just as quickly Albeo raced forward cutting a small line across Gwen's face, earning a cry of pain.
"You son of a bitch!" Kevin roared, straining against his bonds.
Vilgax meanwhile ignored his outburst and turned towards Charmcaster who until this point had stood unnoticed by the trapped heroes, "Bring Her here."
Charmcaster nodded and stepped towards the pedestal, the others joining her, Albedo smearing the blood of the three heroes on the surface of the pedestal while Vilgax did the same with the tear.
"There is a legend," Vilgax began sensing the confusion of the imprisoned heroes, "Of a being who will grant you wildest wish and make real your craziest dream. My Dream has always been the end of you Tennyson and thanks to you I have found Her."
At that moment Charmcaster reached into her pack and when she drew her hand back out it was wreathed in a fathomless black light. Then almost reverently she held her hand above the pedestal and opened her clenched fist. Out of it fell a perfectly ovoid gemstone, blacker than anything the assembled heroes had ever seen. It let out a light chiming noise as it made contact with the pedestal. Then silence filled the cave as everyone seemed to hold their breath.
The silence was cut off by a sudden and violent fit of laughter that startled even Vilgax. He whirled around fuming as Ben continued to laugh unabated.
"The big and dangerous 'She' is a stone?!" Ben asked, trying to regain composure, mirth filled tears pouring down his cheeks, "God, spacing you must have done even more damage then I thought!"
"You dare mock her!" Charmcaster yelled, leveling her Uncle's staff at him. Albedo kept from yelling but he looked equally upset at Ben's flippant remarks.
"So Vilgax went nutty and he decided to brainwash the both of you," Ben remarked, smirking at the clearly fuming villains.
"You saw the murals yourself, Tennyson." Vilgax remarked, undaunted by his taunts, "And soon enough you will know the truth."
"Yeah about that." Ben remarked, his smirk suddenly gaining a hard edge, "Did you really think I came here without a backup plan?"
He then opened his hand to reveal the comm that the Brain half of Ultimate Jury Rigg had been fiddling with while his other half beat Albedo into the dirt, or stone as would have it. He had managed to turn the comm into a beacon, which he pressed.
"Surprise," Ben remarked, as Plumbers began teleporting in all around the cave. An orange blaster bolt suddenly fired from higher up shattering Ben's restraints. Ben fell to the ground a broad smile crossing his face.
"You see, Gwen," Ben began to explain, pointing at his cousin as she too was released, "Figured out that Malware was linked directly to your brain meaning anything he heard or saw, you heard or saw. So we flubbed the details of the mission a bit. Instead of Rook just going to warn Grandpa Max, he was going to wait for our signal and then come in with the Plumbers, guns blazing.
He shot a salute at Rook who stood above them on a perch alongside several other Plumbers. Rook saluted back and then launched one last bolt freeing Kevin from his restraints.
"So in short," Ben remarked, activating the Omnitrix, "It's Hero Time!"

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"So in short," Ben remarked, activating the Omnitrix, "It's Hero Time!"
Ben disappeared in a pillar of green light, his form rapidly swelling. The assembled Plumbers took that as the signal to open fire, peppering the remaining amalgams with holes. Several of the monsters returned fire, while others charged to feet their new enemies face to face.
One leaped at Rook Blonko, who slide beneath, his Omnitool's blade opening the monster from sternum to stomach. It collapsed into a twitching heap while the Magister continued running, heading for Kevin, who was barely standing his own against Albedo, who was striking at him ferally in his Rath form.
"Kevin!" Rook yelled, reaching into one of the pouches of his belt, bringing his hand up, and then flinging a small green crystal towards the cornered Osmosian.
Kevin's face lit up with a confident smirk as he leaped into the air and caught the crystal in his hands. The smirk grew as the crystal-coated his skin, cracking the stone as he landed.
"You think that little rock will save you!" Albedo roared, punching Kevin in the face only for searing pain to erupt as his hand broke on contact. The Galvan screamed before transforming back to normal, his mangled hand clutched close to his chest.
"Not just any little rock, Taydenite, " Kevin quipped, a blade growing over his right hand, "So what was that about you cutting off my head again?"
Albedo blanched and began to back away, the black light in his eyes disappearing for several seconds before coming back as strong as before. The Galvan transformed again, changing into Diamondhead, and attacked a snarl etched across his face.
Vilgax roared, cutting down several suicidally brave Plumbers that had gotten too close, before turning to Charmcaster, "Begin the incanta-"
He never finished his sentence as a white metal fist collided with his face, knocking him across the cavern.
"Eyes on me, villain!" Atomix yelled, charging after his fallen foe, "Our age-old battle ends this day!"
"Agreed." Vilgax choked, lunging to his feet to catch Ben's incoming punch on the flat of his blade-tendril, "But it will be on my terms! Spellweaver!"
Charmcaster barely nodded before drawing her staff, the head pulsing with black energy. She closed her eyes and began to softly chant in a language not heard since the dawn of the universe.
"She beckons, and we must follow!" Charmcaster cried, gesturing to the gem, which rattled softly on the surface of the pedestal, "Eldest Infinity, Sister Life, Mother of Dreams, take our gift, the blood of change, the tears of the soul, drink deep and rise!"
The gem suddenly flashed to life with cold, black light as it seemed to drink the blood and glowing mana placed upon the pedestal. The stone juddered slightly, and a raspy gasp filled every mind in the room, bringing the fight to a short pause before it was met again with more savagery than before, as Plumber's fought the need to charge in against their superior foe. At the same time, Ben was consumed with the urge to tear Vilgax's wretched tentacle from him.
The stone then rose into the air, spiraling as black vapor began to pour from it filling the room with a feeling of inescapable, primal cold.
Charmcaster stopped in her work, awe spreading across her face before the stone abruptly let out a pulse of black energy, sending her careening across the ground, the Staff of Ages splintering in her grasp.
Gwen, her normally vibrant pink form, dulling slightly under the oppressive light of the Gem, managed to shake free of her stupor, just as Rook, reached her his golden eyes filled with an unusual amount of fear.
"Gwendolyn, are you okay?" Rook asked, nonchalantly firing a bolt into an amalgam that had thought to take him from behind.
Gwen shook her head, pointing towards the gem which was now firing tendrils of black energy into the mass of Plumbers and Amalgams indiscriminately, turning whatever it touched into a black vapor that was absorbed into the churning cloud of mist that swirled around it.
"The gem, I know Ben thought it was just a fluke, but ever since we got here, this oppressive presence has been weighing down on me. It's centered on the gem, and it's only growing stronger."
"Would one of your spells work?" Rook asked, aiming a pot-shot at Albedo, giving Kevin some breathing room as he took care of several amalgams that had joined the fight.
"Possibly, but I don't have my…." Gwen was cut off when Rook softly placed her spellbook into her hands.
"Ben told me to come prepared." Rook intoned, with an uncharacteristic smirk, tapping the large bundle tied to his back, "You take care of the Stone, and I will help Kevin and Ben take down their respective combatants."
"Go," Gwen said, already flipping through pages of her tome, looking for something, anything that could contain the rapidly growing cloud of vapor and energy surrounding the cloud. She was startled out of her focus, however, when a cold hand wrapped around her ankle. Purple fire came within an inch of burning her assailant to a crisp before she realized it was Hope, her eyes no longer clouded with darkness, her other hand clutching the remains of her Uncle's shattered staff.
"Gwen?" Hope asked, staring up at her, her eyes flickering slightly, "I'm...so sorry."
Gwen knelt beside her as several Plumbers ran to assist, gunning down any amalgams that got too close.
"Don't apologize, it was Vilgax and this thing, it wasn't you," Gwen said comfortingly, cupping her enemy turned grudging friend's cheek as tears began to pour down her face.
"No, it's all my fault, Ledgerdomain, Hex, the Gem," Charmcaster spat, punching the ground angrily with her free hand, "I should have come to you sooner, asked for help, but the voices told me not too."
"Voices?" Gwen asked, taken aback, "What are you-"
Charmcaster raised a finger to her lips, silencing her, "That doesn't matter now. What matters is helping you fix my mistakes the only way I can."
Without warning, Charmcaster lunged forward, kissing Gwen on the lips. Gwen froze, utterly shocked as nearly all of Hope's remaining magical power poured into her.
As they pulled apart, Gwen stared at Hope, floored, while the latter just smiled coyly before pushing the remains of Hex's staff into her hands.
"I've wanted to do that for a while," Charmcaster muttered, her consciousness fading.
Gwen merely stared down at the unconscious mage before turning to a nearby Plumber, who was looking at her with a fittingly amused look.
"Look after her?" Gwen choked out, stepping to her feet, book and broken staff in hand.
"Of course, Miss Tennyson." the Plumber responded.
Gwen nodded her thanks before marching towards the Gem, the Staff reassembling as she walked, spellbook flickering with a bright golden light.
"Locorum!" Gwen cried, golden energy flying from the staff, forming a sphere around the pitch-black vortex that now encompassed the Gem.
Across the room, Ben and Vilgax were still locked in combat, the former leaking green energy from several cuts while the latter had several new burn marks and bruises marking his body.
"She is coming, Tennyson!" Vilgax roared, his blade cutting a shallow line across Atomix's face, "Nothing will stop her! Not you! Not your pretentious cousin! Not anyone! This is to be your end!"
"Ten years, we have been fighting this fight villain." Ben responded, "And. Not. Once. Have. I. Lost!
He punctuated every blow with a punch, his hands glowing with atomic energy. Instead of crying out, Vilgax merely laughed, aggressively shoulder-checking Ben away.
"Yet I still stand!" Vilgax intoned, spreading his arms wide, "Every time you tried to end my life, I just came back stronger!"
"And uglier." Ben snarked, a ball of energy forming between his hands, "Ready?"
"Ready for what, you ignorant child?!" Vilgax roared, charging at Ben, who dodged to the side, revealing Rook standing on a ledge with a Tachyon Cannon in his hands.
"I do not believe he was talking to you." Rook quipped, pulling the trigger on the cannon just as Ben released the energy sphere from his hands. Both projectiles slammed into Vilgax, illuminating the cave for a brief second with a green cascade of light that outshone the gold of Gwen's spell.
"Amazing shooting, friend Rook!" Atomix cried, stepping towards the smoke cloud that had followed their conjoined attack.
"Thank you, that should have-hhck" Rook's comment ended in a hitching breath as Vilgax's bladed appendage shot from the smoke and impaled him through the left side of his abdomen.
"Rook!" Ben cried, watching as his friend slumped to the side, clutching his wound. He raced forward only for Vilgax's normal hand to catch him by the neck and slam him to the ground.
"He's just the first Tennyson!" Vilgax laughed, forming a flanged hammer to smash the hero in the face, "After I finish here, I am going to kill everyone you love! Starting with your Grandfather and ending only when every speck of Bellwood and Undertown are whipped off the face of this miserable rock!"
"You bastard!" Ben yelled, a beam of energy firing from his mouth, burning more of Vilgax's green skin to a blistered grey.
He then leaped to his feet and began firing more blasts of atomic energy with his hands, burning away much of Vilgax's remaining armor and his cape. He then shoulder-checked the former Warlord into a wall so hard that the ceiling began to crumble.
Ben looked up from his downed enemy to see several medics surrounding Rook while Kevin dragged a mangled and unconscious Albedo to a corner next to Charmcaster, who he noticed for the first time was slumped unconscious.
"Sir!" one of the medics called, "The Magister's still alive, but he needs critical medical attention."
"Get him out of here then!" Ben yelled back, turning to the remaining Plumbers, "Get him-"
"She comes!" Vilgax suddenly yelled, startling everyone as he fired his tendril at the sphere Gwen had created, shattering it into millions of pieces.
"Get out of here!" Ben roared, directing the Plumbers to leave as he tackled Vilgax to the ground.
They took his direction, beams of blue light-absorbing the remaining Plumbers as they disappeared. Rook's group was the last to go as they clutched the young Magister between them.
Kevin knelt next to Charmcaster and Albedo, planning to teleport away from them when a remaining amalgam suddenly took him from behind, slamming him to the ground and shattering the teleporter in the process.
"Damn!" Kevin cried, bisecting the beast in half before getting to his feet, "Guys, teleporters gone!"
"Gwen, get us out of here!" Ben yelled, using all his strength to pin Vilgax to the ground, fighting the sudden urge to end his mortal enemy with a vicious neck snap finally.
Gwen didn't respond. Her eyes locked on the gem, which was slowly but surely being pulled towards her.
"What are you doing?" Kevin cried, forming a shield above Charmcaster and Albedo as an arc of energy threatened to kill them both.
Gwen opened her mouth to respond when the Gem suddenly lurched forward, connecting with Gwen's brow. At that moment, everything changed.
Gwen screamed, a terrified, primal sound as black energy suddenly poured from her body encompassing the entire cavern, snaring onto amalgams, villains, and heroes alike.
"Gwen!" Ben yelled, horrified when she turned towards him, her eyes glowing with the same black light.
"She beckons." Gwen intoned, "And I follow."
The last thing Ben heard as the world went black was Vilgax's guttural laugh in his ear.

The Bronx, New York City, 23:57 EDT

Ben woke up suddenly, his body aching from the cuts leftover from his fight with Vilgax. He was alone completely and utterly alone in a back alley in a city he didn't quite recognize.
Ben painfully got to his feet and looked around.
"Gwen?!" He called fearfully, "Kevin?!"
He raced around a corner and froze as he walked out into a small courtyard. There was Gwen, back in her human form, her head down, long red hair obscuring her face as she looked down at her hands with rapt attention.
"Gwen?" Ben asked, approaching her cautiously, "Thank God I-"
His words died in his throat as Gwen looked up, revealing pitch-black eyes and the stone sitting in the center of her forehead.
"Who-what have you done to my cousin?" Ben asked, stepping back, his hand reaching for the Omnitrix.
"She invited me in." Not-Gwen responded, her voice much deeper and sadder than Gwen's had ever been, "But I took too much."
"What?!" Ben snapped, a snarl growing on his lips, "What do you mean?"
"She was an Anodite." the voice continued, as Gwen's skin suddenly peeled away, revealing her other form though now its skin was blacker than the void between the stars while her hair and eyes glowed a stark-grey, "All emotions, dreams, perfect host...I didn't mean to."
"What are you?!" Ben yelled, "And where is Gwen?!"
The figure seemed to acknowledge his statement for a moment before suddenly teleporting directly in front of him, before placing a hand to her temple, "Her dreams speak of you, loved like a brother, best friend, family, she's scared. But don't worry, she will be safe inside."
"What are you-" he stopped as a finger colder than ice touched his lips.
"You asked what I am." the figure asked, her voice gaining a cutting edge, "Many names I have, Eldest Infinity, Sister Wish, others still, but Sisters called me The First. A long time ago, I was happy, safe, loved. Dreamt things and they appeared, made wishes true, then they came, beings from my future and your past, came to take us and make us theirs."
She paused, her eyes burrowing into his, and he suddenly felt more lost and sad than he had ever felt in his entire life. He slumped to the ground and watched as the air beside her began to shimmer, as strange blue crystals formed around her feet and red energy swirled around her body.
"They succeeded." the First spat, the effects around her strengthening with each word, "The Tinker took me, oh the dreams he had, beautiful, his wishes pure. And I was still happy. But then he stole me, The Mad Titan."
The effects around her tripled in power as Ben suddenly found himself suspended in the air, directly in front of The First's face.
"His dreams were awful!" The First cried, tears pouring down her face, "All he wanted was Death! Used me to create monsters, tear the universe apart, and when he was cast down, my beloved Tinker locked me away.
Ben watched in horror as the Omnitrix was suddenly brought before her face, which caused her anger to peak again.
"So much life...trapped away in such a small cage, just like me. I was the Dream. I was Life!" The First said, holding her arms above her head, causing the crystals, the energy, and the strange shimmer to coalesce into a large sphere above her head, "But now I will be a Nightmare the likes of which this Universe has never seen!"
With that, she slammed Ben into a nearby wall before releasing the sphere which floated into the air high above the Bronx, a swirling mix of blue, red, and green that drew the eyes of many late-night drinkers, vagabonds, and partiers. It stayed suspended in the air for several seconds before suddenly and aggressively exploding, cascading across the Bronx in an aggressive wave, demolishing buildings, turning asphalt to sand, trees to glass, and releasing a blue vapor through the streets. The wave continued, warping and changing the landscape around it.
And in the very center of it all lay Ben, unconscious. The First watched him for several seconds before disappearing in a flash of dark purple light, a low laugh echoing across the cosmos as she set after her true mission.
The Omnitrix suddenly beeped to life, a Green Hologram of Ben appearing above the faceplate.
"Connection to Primus negated, attempting to repair." the hologram said, speaking to nothing, "Unable to repair, New Primus Protocol initiating, sampling host DNA...error Host DNA has been polluted by an unknown genetic anomaly, compensating, clean sample acquired. New Primus Initiative in effect.
The hologram disappeared, the faceplate suddenly opening to reveal a small mosquito-like robot, its thorax distended with a glowing green liquid. The android took to the air, zipping away from Ben's unconscious body.
The faceplate closed, and the hologram popped back to life, revealing a scan of Ben's internal organs and nervous system.
"Genetic Anomaly continues to spread throughout the host's body, major organ failure expected in twenty minutes unless better cohesion is achieved. Reforming, Host Preservation activated.
With that, the Omnitrix seemed to melt into Ben's skin, leaving only a faint hourglass mark on the back of his hand.

Stark Mansion, Malibu, California 9:00 PT

"So, we good for the meeting with HBO tomorrow?" Tony asked, looking backward over the coach towards where his assistant Pepper Potts was leaving.
"Yes, but I still don't know why you are so adamant about this," Pepper said with an exhausted smile.
"Look, I'm doing the public a service, getting those two fired." Tony fired back, "Three episodes in, and they plan on offing the Night King? Hard pass."
"You are a true hero." Pepper snarked.
"Hey, I do my best." Tony returned, getting up and walking over to her.
She smiled up at him as he walked over, sending parts of him fluttering that he quickly fought to quell, "Is that all for the night, Sir?"
"No, I thought we'd keep trading witticisms. It's refreshing. Bruce can't keep up." Tony joked.
Pepper grabbed the door frame nervously, "So you want me to stay?"
Tony froze, his mouth forming several words simultaneously, only for an Irish lilted voice to cut through the awkward moment.
"So sorry to interrupt you two," Friday said politely, "But something has happened to the Bronx."
"Don't you mean in the Bronx?" Tony asked, partially thankful for the AI's intrusion and more than a little annoyed with her and himself.
"No," Friday said, pulling up an image that showed a massive red dome of energy spreading across the Bronx area at a terrifying pace, shattering and warping buildings as it passed over them.
Tony froze for a second before turning to Pepper, who looked at him lost for words.
"Good night, Ms. Potts," Tony stated as he turned and raced for the stares
"Good night, Tony." Pepper returned, staring after him nervously, "Be careful!"
"No promises!" he called back, wincing at the flippant remark even after it passed his lips.
"Did you tell Banner?" Tony asked, racing down to the Armory.
"Yes, and he already left," Friday said, a bit of worry entering her, "He said the Big Guy would meet you there."
"Understood."
Tony Stark and Bruce Banner were not the only ones alerted to the events occurring across the Bronx.

Somewhere above the Atlantic Ocean

Nicholas Fury, Director of SHIELD, was surprised, and he absolutely despised being caught by surprise.
"Do we know who caused this?" he demanded, glaring at the screens before him showing the Dome, which was slowly grinding to a halt as it passed the Bronx Zoo.
"No, sir." Maria Hill, his second in command, responded, "The energy signatures we picked up don't match any known HYDRA or AIM weapon. Nor does it appear to be non-terrestrial."
Nick rubbed the bridge of his nose for a second before responding, "Get Coulson's team on this now. And can someone get this tub moving! I want us there yesterday, people. Let's move!"

Though the event that people would soon be calling the Bronx Cataclysm was Nightmare's most visible assault, her actions would be felt across the world.
Prison's weakened, allowing villains of all shapes and sizes to escape their bonds.

The dome of energy flicked above his head as he stumbled on, staring fervently around for something to eat. He was starving...he hadn't eaten in so very, very long.
She had kept him in that cage for four years. Four years! Without a single morsel, a scrap, a nibble, and he knew that if he didn't eat something soon, he would die. Simple as that.
A scream cut through his inner thoughts, a female scream. Mustering his strength, he raced forward, trying to ignore that gnawing hunger in his gut a little longer. He rounded an alley and found a terrified woman trapped in a car while a strange monster savagely tried to get inside.
It was covered in this strange black-and-red liquid that quivered grotesquely every time it moved. It had one misshapen arm that ended in a two-clawed pincer and long legs ending in warped talons. A single red eye sat above a mouth of sharp fangs that were currently gnashing at the trapped woman.
"Hey!" he yelled, his voice even raspier than before, drawing the creature's attention, "Get away from her!"
The creature turned, letting out a clicking snarl, before charging him, pincer raised to decapitate him. He braced himself as the creature jumped and then leaped as well, his open palm clutching the creature's face. At first, nothing seemed to happen until the creature began to spasm and scream, as the twisted energy that kept it going was sucked from it. Cracks began to appear across the creature's body as he drank more and more, his body slowly but surely becoming strong. Finally, he let the creature fall to the ground dead, though he didn't seem to notice when part of the strange liquid stuck to his hand.
He approached the car and motioned for the woman to step out, though she was clearly frightened by what he had done. She was young, maybe mid-twenties...a little older than he liked, but it would do.
"Th-thank you." the girl muttered, stepping out of the car, though not brave enough to look at his cadaverous face.
"No." he responded, taking her face in his hands, "Thank you."
"What are you-" the girl slumped to the ground almost immediately as he drank in her life force, but unlike the creature, he left her alive.
"Thank you very much." Michael Morningstar said, his skeletal features beginning to recede as he picked up the girl and walked away with her, deeper into the hellscape he had woken up in.

Beings content to sleep through man's achievements awoke at the sudden change to the world.
In the Marianas Trench, a King, not seen since the Second Great War, awoke with a vengeance.
Underneath Scotland, an army long hidden away awoke with a fiery spark.
And on the surface of Mars, a being who had long left Earth behind turned and watched the ensuing chaos, but his eyes didn't seek the dome but instead a tiny pinprick of emerald light that held within it more life than it had ever thought possible.

Six Days after the Bronx Cataclysm

Dr. Curtis Connors was going to die. He could feel it. He had been staying late at the Reptile House, trying to gain more insight for his experiments when the Wave hit the Zoo, shattering glass, melting bars, and mutating any animals it touched. Conner's had gotten lucky, or so he thought, he had barricaded himself in the office, surviving on what little food and water he had managed to scrounge together. But the food was gone, and the larger and more dangerous members of the Reptile House were free, and they too were lacking in food, if the terrifying sounds of fighting, hissing, snarling, and tearing of meat was anything to go by. However, that wasn't all he had to fear. His remaining arm, God's little joke, he thought, was slowly but surely turning to stone, an effect of Terrigen, that much he knew. A death sentence, plain and simple, no cure, no way out.
"I'll never see them again." Dr. Connors muttered, slumping to the ground in despair, tears tracking down his cheeks slowly, "I should have stayed home."
He drew a picture of his wife and child from his pocket and kissed it softly before staring at it solemnly, "Goodbye, Martha, Billy. I love you both so very much."
"Why are you crying, Mister?" a voice asked, stunning him out of his despair. He looked up and, to his surprise, found himself face to face with a ten-year-old girl with long brown hair, green eyes, and lightly tanned skin. She wore a long green and black dress, a black headband, green leggings that ended above her feet, and no shoes.
"What-who-how are you here?" Connor's stammered, taken aback by the girl's sudden appearance. He was even more surprised, however, when he noticed her companion. Perched on the table next to them was a cat, a cat with blue fur, six limbs, and four eyes.
"I must be hallucinating. Lack of food and water is making me delirious," Connors muttered, turning away from the girl.
"You're not hallucinating, silly." The girl said, resting a hand on his shoulder, "I'm here to help you?"
"Help me how?" Connors asked, turning to look in the girl's eyes which turned a sudden solid green.
"I'm going to fix what's broken," she stated simply, "Make you good as new, hmm maybe even a little better."
Her hand's suddenly shone with bright emerald light that soon bathed his entire body. Nothing happened at first, and then he felt his body begin to change, growing stronger, larger, his missing arm returned, and the stone on the other was replaced with thick tan scaled skin. He was becoming something utterly different, something alien.

Ground Zero, Bronx Cataclysm, June 28th 10:00 EDT

"Sir, we found something!" A SHIELD agent called out, racing into the slapped together base camp Coulson's team had set up.
"What is it?" Coulson asked, looking up from the map on the table.
"We found a man, sir," The Agent said, slightly panicked, "And he's still alive."
"Call Tony," Coulson said, racing out of the tent with the Agent close behind, "They'll want to see this."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"We found a man, sir," The Agent said, slightly panicked, "And he's still alive."
"Call Tony," Coulson said, racing out of the tent with the Agent close behind, "They'll want to see this."

Three Months Later

In the three months since the emergence of what New Yorkers had begun calling the "Dome" the city had been in a state of disarray and underlying panic, numerous eyes locked on the now thankfully immobile dome of energy. The National Government alongside SHIELD had placed the entire area under lockdown, building barricades and manned checkpoints both above and below the anomaly. Survivors arrived sporadically, and were often forced to undergo strenuous tests to make sure they hadn't been overly affected by the energies pervading, "New Bronx".
Tony's eyes narrowed slightly as he soared overhead, "Any change Friday?"
"No," the AI responded, scans of the energy field appearing across his armor's hud, "The field may have stopped expanding but there's no sign of it diminishing in size."
Tony let out a frustrated sigh, "Alright send everything we've got to Banner, also tell Nicky I'm on my way back."
"Done," Friday responded. Tony gave the Dome one last look before turning and taking off towards the New York Harbor, where SHIELD's flagship, the Helicarrier hovered, another slightly unwelcome addition to the New York skyline.
Stark made a beeline for the hanger bay, artfully dodging around a departing Quinjet, before landing in front of several bemused members of the landing crew. Tony's armor opened, allowing him to step out of it shooting the crew a smug smile.
"Friday, you have the helm." Stark quipped as the armor snapped back together, "No joy rides okay."
"Of course Boss." the AI responded, nodding the armor's head in acknowledgment, before walking past the befuddled landing crew without even a second glance.
"Come on people this isn't the first time you've seen this sort of thing." a fatherly voice called, "Back to work."
Stark turned, a wide smile crossing his face as he locked eyes with Coulson.
"Good timing," Coulson said, "Fury was looking for you."

Daisy Johnson aka Quake watched with a bemused expression as Fitz and Simmons bantered with their guests. One was of average height and build with bright slightly manic blue eyes and a bedhead of sandy blonde hair. His lab coat was a tad disheveled which he wore over a skin-tight red-and-black suit covered with faintly glowing blue circuitry.
The other was a tad shorter and skinnier with warm slightly haunted brown eyes and curly black hair. He was dressed less outlandishly than his compatriot in a simple purple button-up shirt and tan dress pants.
Dr. Hank Pym, Dr. Bruce Banner, and Fitzsimmons were currently engaged in a rapt conversation about the seemingly impossible composition of the energy that made up the "Dome".
"This can't be right." Dr. Pym muttered critically, glaring at the information Stark had just provided Banner.
"But it is." Bruce responded, "The energy levels are exactly the same as they were when the phenomenon occurred."
"But there should be some form of energy bleed, a weakening of its structural integrity." Pym expounded, looking at the others with trepidation.
"Terrigen certainly dissipates over time, as does Gamma." Fitz agreed, "But the more important bit of info we're missing is who or what caused it in the first place."
Banner nodded, turning the hologram projector in the center of the table on. An overlay of the inside of the Dome appeared across the table. The Dome itself stretched from Highbridge in the West to Westchester Ave in the East and from the top of Bronx Park in the North down to the very tip of Ryker's Island.
"I can't even begin to wrap my head around what kind of technology would be needed to not only spark this kind of mutagenic reaction but also distribute it evenly across this entire area." Banner noted, "AIM, HYDRA, the Ten Rings, none of them, not even pooling their resources have the capabilities to pull of something like this."
"What about an Inhuman or Mutant?" Fitz pointed out, "After all we did find our John Doe at the epicenter of the Dome."
"I already told you, Fitz," Simmons admonished, "Whoever he is our John Doe is not a Mutant nor an Inhuman, besides the amount of power needed to create this event outclasses anything we have seen from even Omega level Enhanced."
"How is he?" Daisy interjected, startling the enraptured scientists.
"Oh, Daisy!" Jemma exclaimed, seemingly noticing her for the first time, "How long have you standing there?"
"Not long, it's fun watching you guys brainstorm." Daisy said with a half-smile, though she was rubbing her hands nervously, "So how is he?"
"He-oh the John Doe, despite the 'attacks' he's completely healthy." Simmons said, her eyes narrowing slightly, "Though I am still unable to identify exactly what happened to him."
Another hologram appeared at her behest, revealing the inner-workings of the John Doe. Live feeds showed the beating of his heart, the retraction of his lungs, though a marked difference was immediately noticeable. Threaded across his muscles, interwoven into his organs, even twisting across his bones were thin lines of grey and black almost liquidlike metal, green nodes of light interspersed every couple inches.
"Fascinating." Pym muttered, "It is almost organic in design, and the pathways that it chose while being incredibly invasive don't seem to have done any damage at all."
"Exactly what's so puzzling about it," Simmons attested, "We have never seen a technobiological augmentation like this before. Chitauri augments are several meters ahead of what we are capable of now on our own, whatever this is has outstripped them by thousands of kilometers."
"So it's alien?" Banner asked, "And you believe it is the cause of his 'incidents'?"
"If this is terrestrial, then I have no idea who could have done this to him." Simmons stated, "And we have noticed a correlation between his attacks and this symbol appearing over his heart.
The imagery changed to show a green hourglass.
"But they're more than that, there are implications that the device is what kept him alive until he was found within the Dome, it appears to have mended several broken bones with its own structuring, and I swear I've seen it grow and move within him at random. Then there is...all the implications of his 'attacks' and the forms he turns into, some of which do not coincide with the conservation of mass in the slightest!" Simmons rambled, then blushing slightly as she realized she had begun shouting, "Sorry, it's just so deeply engaging, and so frustrating."
"I'm sure you'll figure it out." Daisy and Fitz said in unison.
"Jinx, you owe me a soda." the former cried out, pointing at Fitz with a devilish grin.
"Oh come off it, you always want some random drink I have to search half of Manhatten for." Fitz groaned.
"That's right, Cherry-Watermelon Bubble Tea" Daisy said, before turning to the Banner and Pym who were staring at the three friends with bemused looks, "And since I have no completely derailed this briefing, I'm gonna go…"
She let the end of the sentence hang as she exited the room, Fitzsimmons watched her go and then shot each other worried looks.
"She's going to go sit with him again isn't she?" Fitz asked to no one in general.
"Yes," Dr. Pym noted, turning back to the main hologram, "Though I must ask that we return to the matter at hand, I believe Dr. Banner was on the edge of a breakthrough."
"Right," Banner noted rubbing the side of his face tiredly, "As I was saying nothing on Earth as far as we know has the power or intelligence to create a weapon, if it even is a weapon anyway, of this magnitude. Combine that with the revelations Ms. Simmons has made when it comes to our John Doe and the culprit is..."
The manic light in Pym's eyes brightened suddenly, "Extraterrestrials?"
"The truth is out there." Fitz muttered softly, getting a funny look from his colleagues, "What?"

"I still can't believe you tried to make us believe you were dead." Stark admonished, narrowing his eyes at Coulson.
"Two things. One, I really was good as dead for a short while there," Coulson retorted, "And two, Director Fury ordered me to keep my head down."
"Oh, so it was Fury's grand idea, to try and hide you from me." Stark quipped, "Why am I not surprised."
"Tony I-" Coulson began to say before Tony cut him off.
"Don't apologize, Phil, I'm just glad you're alive," Tony muttered sincerely, clapping the older man on the shoulder.
"So am I Stark," Coulson said, returning the gesture.
"So enough sappy stuff." Stark snarked, "How are the shields on the Dome holding up?"
"No problems so far." Coulson answered, "Whatever you and Banner cooked up seems to be keeping the residual radiation contained to the Dome itself."
"Glad to be of service." Stark muttered, absentmindedly snagging a muffin from a nearby Agent, while simultaneously slipping them a five-dollar bill, "Any issues other than the Dome itself."
"Well, obviously the Watch Dogs are on the warpath, calling the Dome an affront to "human purity" Coulson muttered darkly, "They've been engaging our scout teams, and are trying to convince the people not mutated by the Dome to join their cause."
"Great, always loved when Chihuahuas got too big for their britches." Tony joked though the humor didn't reach his eyes, "What about the Enhanced front?"
Coulson let out a long-suffering sigh, "Xavier is working with us for now. We know he doesn't trust the Military, and considering their history I can't really blame him. Fury has gone out of his way to explain that SHIELD is different, but the Professor still has his doubts. He offered to house any Mutants or Inhumans seeking education in their new abilities or just in need of a safe place to stay."
"Understandable." Tony remarked, "What about the Bird Lady and Captain Magnet?"
Coulson smirked slightly, "Miss Peregrine seems to be following the Professor's line of thinking, though she is a bit more cordial thanks to the work you put in helping Dr. McCoy and Pym solve her little time issue. As for Magneto, he's been strangely silent, though that could mean a whole manner of things, none of them good."
Tony touched the comm in his ear, "Friday remind me later to start building an armor devoid of metal."
"Got it, Boss," the AI responded, "Placing it under the designation: Mark 47."
"So anything else I need to worry about?" Tony asked, turning back to Coulson.
"Yes actually, the day after your shields went up we received a letter." Coulson answered, "From an Attilan."
"What did it say?" Tony queried. A commanding voice cut across their conversation as they entered the bridge of the Helicarrier.
"We know and we do not approve." Director Nicholas Fury said, his single eye set in a near-permanent scowl, "But of course whatever this Attilan is, hell even the Dome itself is just the tip of the iceberg."
"You wanted to see me, Nicky?" Tony asked, crossing his arms in front of him.
"Yes, as you might have noticed the world is on the brink," Fury said, pointing towards Dome, "Whatever caused that triggered a change across the entire planet."
"What do you mean?" Tony asked, his eyes widening slightly.
"Pure and simple Stark, 'situation has gone to shit' pretty much sums it all up." Fury stated, "Villains the world over are crawling out of whatever hole we put them in or they hid away in. The Raft has gone silent, STAKE reports something stirring under Scotland and the Zoo is on Red Alert, in fact, Agent Grady why don't you tell Mister Stark what you told me."
A screen popped up revealing a man with dirty-blonde hair and beard, lightly tanned skin and dark brown eyes. He wore a loose-fitting blue collared shirt, a brown leather vest, jeans, and hiking boots. He was standing in what looked like a log cabin and had a rather large rifle hung across his back.
"Right, so like I was telling you Boss, whatever happened in the Bronx has set everyone here on edge and I mean everyone!" Grady explained, "Blue and the girls have been on high alert the entire time and King, well let's just say he is real unhappy at the moment."
"Back to work Agent." Fury said, getting a nod before turning off the screen, "So in short Stark, we are in a dire need."
"A dire need for what," Tony asked, his guard raising slightly.
"The Avengers." Fury responded, his tone deathly serious.

"Daisy Johnson it feels like just yesterday I saw you here, oh wait, no that's right, I did." a kindly voice said, drawing her attention.
Standing before her was a tall man of African American descent, his hair closely shaved to his scalp and his brown eyes glittering with good intent. He was dressed in a yellow-and-black suit with a patch on the right arm of an eagle superimposed over an X.
"Hey, Darwin." Daisy said with a shy smile, "How are you today."
"Can't complain, though I'm gonna be honest I'm kind of hoping this guy wakes up." Darwin answered, "Give me something to do with my time."
"So do you mind if I-?" Daisy asked, gesturing at the door behind him.
"Like I could stop you," Darwin said good-naturedly stepping aside. He quickly plugged in a code that caused the stark-white door to slide upward.
Daisy smiled up at him gratefully, then entered the equally stark-white room. The door slide shut behind her and she looked around the room for what must have been the hundredth time. A small table sat in the corner next to a large couch, above which a large TV hung, the screen showing a pristine beach somewhere in the Caribbean. On the other side of the room was a large queen-sized bed where it's sole occupant rested.
Daisy crossed the room and sat down in the chair perched next to the bed where she had left it the last time she had visited the room's occupant.
"It's not him." Daisy muttered to herself once more, before turning to actually look at the figure before her, "It's not him."
And yet her heart betrayed her as she took in the face of the man who had died not three years ago.
Laying before her was a man who was the spitting image of Lincoln, the only differing factors were the green eyes and green hourglass tattoo on the back of his left hand.
It couldn't be him, and deep, deep down in the most critical part of her mind she knew it but she still felt drawn to him in the vain hope that Lincoln hadn't died that horrible day and that somehow he'd been brought back to her.
A sudden urge struck her out of nowhere. She reached out slowly and pressed the tips of her fingers to the back of the man's palm, directly on top of the green hourglass, and let out a small vibration. There was a flash of green light that blinded her momentarily.
The glow died and with a sudden gasp the man sat up his eyes shining with brilliant emerald light.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"So, in short, Stark, we are in a dire need."
"A dire need for what?" Tony asked, his guard raising slightly.
"The Avengers." Fury responded, his tone deathly serious.
"No." Tony stated, his eyes going wide, "I already told Coulson, there is no way in hell I'm rejoining that disaster!"
"Stark, SHIELD started the Avenger's Initiative to give people hope." Fury expounded, "To show them that for all the world could throw at us, there were those that would stand up and fight back. The Invasion was just the beginning, the situation we're in now, hell, it blows it completely out of the water."
"So what makes you think the Avengers can fix it?" Tony countered, his eyes burning, "The Invasion was an utter shit show, and you know it!"
"Stark-" Fury began, only for Tony to bowl right over him.
"We might have saved the city Fury, but there was a cost!" Stark ranted, pointing at Coulson, "One of your best agents died, another lost her arm, one of your 'Secret Warriors' turned himself into a literal suicide bomb. Xavier's brightest student was sent into a coma after trying to stabilize him and then cap it all off. I nearly died pushing a fucking nuke that your superiors ordered, by the way, through a portal into deep space!"
"Yeah, we 'won,' but that didn't stop the Avengers from just falling to pieces afterward," Tony continued, drawing the eyes of several Agents standing nearby, "Thor left, Natasha claimed Barton was Hydra and then dropped off the face of the Earth. Speaking of Barton until a few days ago, he was rotting in your little Raft, and Banner doesn't just want to be a weapon. SHIELD lets out whenever it's convenient!"
"And now you want him and I to get the band back together with the help of a pacifist obsessed with ants and a fashion designer!" Stark finished, breathing heavily.
"Hey!" a small voice snapped, drawing his attention to the railing next to Fury where a small figure in a black-and-yellow jumpsuit was perched. Janet van Dyne leaped off the railing and grew to her full height, her crystal blue eyes glaring up at him accusingly, "I might be a fashion designer, but Hank and I were doing missions for SHIELD for a couple of years before you showed up on the scene Tin-Man! We can do this."
"Jan, come on, you saw what happened during the Invasion," Tony stated, though he deflated slightly at the furious expression that covered the small woman's face.
"Yes, Tony, I did. I was there when Lincoln went." Jan's voice quivered, "But the failures of the past can't keep us from doing what needs to be done now."
"I-I don't know, Jan." Tony muttered, "It doesn't feel like a good idea."
"If it isn't a good idea, Stark, then why are you still here?" Coulson noted, "It's been months since this all started."
Tony made to retort when a figure abruptly appeared next to Fury. The figure's appearance coincided with a sound that sent involuntary shivers down the assembled heroes' spines.
The Hulk was out, and he was very, very angry.
"Darwin, what have I said about avoiding a Code Green?" Fury said, turning to look at the alien-looking figure who had appeared beside him.
"Well, the thing about that is, sir, it wasn't entirely my fault," Darwin responded, flinching slightly when the sound of crunching metal drew everyone's attention.
"Then who's is it?" Fury demanded aggressively.
"The John Doe, sir," Darwin answered, catching everyone's attention, "He's awake and suffering from one of his attacks."
The room froze as Fury grabbed the bridge of his nose and uttered a single word, "Fuck."

Thirty Minutes Earlier

Ben snapped awake with a jolt, his head throbbing a duet with his rapidly beating heart.
He looked around, taking in the stark white room around him before his eyes fell to the woman sitting next to him. She looked around his age, with lightly tanned skin, a messy head of dark brown hair, and deep brown eyes. She was dressed in a form-fitting suit similar to those worn by off-duty Plumbers, though in black with black boots and strange metallic gauntlets that only covered the top half of her arms. Taken aback by the startled look in her eyes, he glanced down to notice that she was holding his left hand.
"Hi." Ben choked out before coughing violently, his throat incredibly dry, "Do-do you mind letting go of my hand?"
The woman started slightly before dropping his hand, though her eyes never left his face.
"I'm sorry, but can you tell me where I am?" Ben asked, looking around confused.
"You're in a SHIELD Facility." the woman answered, looking him over closely, "We brought you here after we found you unconscious under the Dome."
"SHIELD, Dome?" Ben queried, his brow furrowing, "I'm sorry I don't understand, you aren't with the Plumbers?"
"Do I look like a Plumber to you?" the woman asked, looking slightly offended.
"Kind of," Ben responded, frowning at the woman's odd behavior, "You know, the Plumbers, the intergalactic police force?"
"Wow." a new voice said, drawing Ben's attention to the other side of the room, where an older, lithe African-American man, dressed similarly to the woman's though his had yellow on the arms and chest, entered through a sliding door, "I guess his brain is even more scrambled than we thought, huh."
"Darwin." the woman hissed, shooting him an admonishing look, before turning back to Ben, "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't know what you're talking about. My name is Daisy Johnson, this is Armando Muñoz, and we happen to be Agents of SHIELD."
"X-Division, and you can call me Darwin." the man said proudly as if either was supposed to mean something to Ben, "What about you kid, what's your name?"
"Benjamin Tennyson," Ben said equally as proudly, though he faltered slightly when their expressions failed to change.
"Your name isn't Lincoln?" Daisy asked, and Ben was surprised to see a heavy amount of disappointment in her eyes.
"No. I'm Ben, Ben 10." he responded, hoping to get a reaction other than confusion out of them, "Do-do you not know who I am?"
"No one does." Darwin answered, "You're an enigma kid, utterly unknown to every computer system on the planet, and that's saying something."
"No one, not a single record of me?" Ben asked aghast, "What about Gwendolyn Tennyson? Max Tennyson? Carl? Sandra?"
The Agents looked at each other before Darwin shrugged and turned to the screen embedded into the wall, "Aida, can you run a search for those exact names our John Do-sorry Mr. Tennyson asked after?"
"Of course, Agent Darwin." a soft feminine voice responded, "Several hits for Maxwell Tennyson, a member of the ill-fated Apollo 15 mission, dying in a freak accident involving a faulty fuel line."
Ben froze, his throat constricting slightly, "What about Kevin Levin?"
"Searching, error, no match found," Aida responded, sending Ben further into shock.
"Sir, Ben?" Daisy asked, trying to get him to look at her, "Are you okay?"
"No-I don't understand..." Ben trailed off before a sudden realization struck him, "How long have I been here?"
"Three months." Aida politely informed, "You were one of the first people recovered after what has been documented as 'The Cataclysm.'"
"Cataclysm, what-oh God!" Ben suddenly leaped out of bed when a flurry of memories assaulted him. Daisy was nearly knocked out of her chair as he brushed past her while Darwin froze, his eyes locked on Ben's horrified face.
"What, what is it?" Daisy asked cautiously.
"Why did it take me so long to remember?" Ben cried, smacking himself in the head aggressively, "My cousin, she, the last time I saw her, she wasn't herself."
"It was right after…." Ben went eerily quiet for several seconds before he locked eyes with Darwin, "You need to let me out of here."
"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't do that; besides, there are several people who need to have a long talk with you," Darwin said, crossing his arms.
"You don't understand!" Ben cried, his eyes flashing green for a second. Darwin and Daisy immediately went on guard, though Ben failed to notice the change, "I need to get out of here. I have to find my cousin! Before things get worse."
"What does that mean?" Darwin asked, his eyes narrowing.
"I-I don't have time to explain it all right now, just let me go!" Ben cried, taking a step towards the Agent, "Please."
"I've got orders, and those orders are to keep you here until the Director gets to talk to you," Darwin stated, not budging away from his place in front of the door.
"Please, Ben, calm down." Daisy said soothingly, reaching out for him, "We can help you. We just need you to work with us."
Ben looked back at her, once again seeing the desperate sadness that filled her eyes, and sighed, "I'm sorry, I really didn't want to do this."
He reached like he had hundreds of times before for his left wrist and stopped cold. For where the Omnitrix had settled for nigh on ten years, there was nothing but air. Looking down, Ben had a minor conniption when all he saw on his hand was a faint green marking in the shape of an hourglass.
"No, no, no!" Ben yelled, his eyes once again flashing green, "Where is it?!"
"Where is what?" Skye asked, startled at Ben's constant mood changes.
"The Omnitrix! My Omnitrix!" Ben roared, rounding on her, "What did you do with it? Who are you?!"
"What-I don't." Daisy stammered, stepping away from the fuming young man, "I already told you we're SHIELD Agents."
"That still doesn't mean anything to me!" Ben snapped, "This-this is all just some big ruse! You're another rogue group of Plumbers like the Rooters. Grandpa Max is alive and looking for me, along with Kevin and Rook, and right now, they need my help in finding my cousin! Now tell you what you did with my Watch!"
His eyes began burning with green energy as he stepped towards her. Darwin moved like lightning, wrapping Ben in a deceptively strong bear hug. Ben struggled for a moment before crying out as his veins began glowing green.
"He's having an attack!" Darwin cried, his body quickly changing as his eyes turned completely black, his skin becoming a pale grey while his limbs elongated and his hair and nose disappeared, "Daisy, get back!"
What followed next was utter chaos as Ben's body erupted in emerald light sending Darwin flying from him while Daisy was slammed into an adjacent wall.
Daisy blinked the black spots out of her eyes, quickly pushed herself to her feet, and gasped softly when she spotted what was standing in Ben's place.
Standing before her was a tall being made out of fire and rock with a glowing green hourglass-shaped patch of flame on the center of his chest. It was looking down at itself in a mix of shock and relief, a grin slowly crossing its face.
"How did I? I changed!" Ben cried triumphantly before glaring down at Daisy, "Look, I don't want to fight you, but you are not keeping me here."
"Like I said, kid," Darwin said, drawing Ben's attention to the other side of the room, "I'm not letting that happen."
"You still think you can stop me?" Ben asked, his hands igniting with flames hot enough to melt the steel around them.
"So you've got powers." Darwin said, shrugging, "So do I, adaptive evolution, so come on, the kid hit me with your best shot."
Ben's burning eyes narrowed before he raised both hands, firing a blast of searing hot flames.
To his surprise, the moment the flames touched Darwin's skin, they extinguished, while the man suddenly moved with a burst of speed, landing a palm strike against Ben's chest, which immediately cooled, shocking Ben even more.
Ben's eyes narrowed again before he kicked Darwin in the abdomen sending him back several feet though once again, no flames took.
"You're not going to stop me." Ben stated, "I'm getting out of here."
"Then you better start trying harder." Darwin retorted, "Because I'm not budging."
Daisy, meanwhile, had been edging around the room, moving towards the panel that would hopefully contain the fighting. Ben noticed, however, and sent a blast of fire towards the terminal, turning it into a melted pile of slag.
"Sorry." Ben apologized, narrowly dodging a blast of vibrations Daisy shot in response.
"Eyes on my kid." Darwin warned, aiming a roundhouse kick for Ben's head, "This little dance is between the two of us. Leave her out of it."
"Fine," Ben muttered, blocking the kick with his forearm, though the blow once again caused his flames to go out.
"Darwin, you sure?" Daisy asked, still aiming her gauntlets at Ben.
"Yeah, after all, Coulson'll have my hide if you end up hurt," Darwin stated, crossing his arms before his face to avoid a flaming punch to the face.
("This isn't working.") Ben muttered to himself, ("I, I need to switch things up.)
Coinciding with his realization, his body started glowing again, Heatblast morphing, before the SHIELD Agent's eyes, into a large orange creature that looked like an unholy combination of a gorilla, a tiger, and an eyeless fish.
The new form snarled before slamming into Darwin, sending both of them careening through the window. They slammed into the metal corridor beyond with Ben on top, snapping viciously at Darwin's face, who turned to mist between his claws. Several Agents drew their Icers, pointing then at the disturbing creature that had just been trying to maul one of their own.
Ben froze, letting out a low growl, as he ducked under the first shot and barrelled towards the offending agent, slamming into him with enough force to knock him prone. He then dodged to the side, allowing the other agent to pepper her comrade with Icer rounds instead of him.
Ben whirled around to go after her when an unseen fist suddenly crashed across his face, pushing him back. Ben shook his head, looking around frantically, his gills flaring, drawing in the heat signatures around him...but to his surprise, Darwin's was missing.
"You rely on heat to see in that form, don't you?" Darwin's voice asked, directly in Ben's ear causing him to jump to the left, a kick connecting directly to the bottom of his jaw.
"Thought so," Darwin said, this time coming from his right, disorienting Ben even more, though Ben finally scented him, just barely allowing him to catch his next blow, pivoting to slam Darwin into the nearby wall.
Darwin pushed himself to his feet and then disappeared fully from all of Ben's senses.
(I can't fight him like this!") Ben thought to himself, his body constantly pivoting as he tried to find even a whiff of his opponent (Time to switch things up again.)
Once again his body, shone with brilliant emerald light before he changed, his new form's head nearly brushing the ceiling. It was a large, tan dinosaur-like being, with a long tail, hugely muscular arms, and thick elephantine legs.
"Well, you're just full of surprises," Darwin muttered, flipping backward, narrowly dodging the giant's punch, which slammed right through the metal floor with little effort.
"And you haven't even seen half of what I can do." Ben fired back, wildly swinging at Darwin, who dodged out of the way.
"Enough!" a voice called, freezing both Ben and Darwin in their tracks, as Daisy rounded the corner with a man Ben hadn't seen before close behind.
"Ben, please, I understand that you're scared and confused," Daisy said, making placating gestures, "But we don't want to fight you."
"You're keeping me from helping my cousin!" Ben roared, his body growing slightly.
"Not on purpose," the smaller man said, stepping forward, "My name is Bruce Banner, and I was on the scene when SHIELD found you, and honestly, you should have been dead."
Ben loosened his fighting stance slightly, "What...what do you mean?"
"You were found seven days after the Cataclysm, at what we believe was the epicenter of the event, unconscious and barely breathing," Banner expounded, "You shouldn't have even lasted half that long, which was the first clue something was unusual about you."
Ben stayed silent as Banner continued to explain, "SHIELD immediately gave you over to their best doctors, one of whom has been wanting to speak with you. They got you stabilized and helped you with your attacks."
"Darwin said I was having an 'attack' earlier when I changed." Ben stated, kneeling to look Banner in the eye, "What do you mean?"
Banner shared a look with the others, "Your body would go into seizing fits that were usually accompanied by you changing forms. Daisy and the other SHIELD Agents watching over you did their best to make you comfortable during your fits."
"I…" Ben looked at Daisy with a confused expression before turning back to Banner, "Why should I believe anything you say?"
Banner smiled honestly, "I understand being wary around new people, especially those who seem to be a part of a paramilitary organization. But I'm not a part of SHIELD. In fact, not that long ago, I was in a very similar situation that you are now. I have no reason to lie to you, Mr…."
"Tennyson." Ben said evenly, calming down slightly, "I just need to get out of here. My cousin's in trouble, and the more time I waste, the worse that danger could become."
"I understand wanting to keep your loved ones safe." Banner responded evenly, his eyes glinting green for a second, though Ben shrugged it off as a trick of the light, "My friend and I can help you."
"SHIELD can too," Daisy added, quickly, "We're not your enemy Ben."
"I-" Ben started to say when his vision suddenly went black, except for a deep purple light that seemed to be racing towards him.
"What's happening?" Ben cried, stumbling backward as out of the light flashed Gwen's face, her eyes black.
"They're lying!" Gwen screamed, the sound ringing in Ben's ears as his vision snapped back to normal.
Dents covered the walls around him where he'd apparently punched. Daisy was picking herself off the ground, clutching a bleeding nose while Darwin was walking towards Banner with the caution of someone approaching a minefield.
"I'm sorry, I-" Ben began, only for Daisy to put her finger to her lips as she slowly backed away from the prone Bruce.
"Doc?" Darwin queered anxiously, "You okay?"
Banner didn't respond as he pushed himself to his knees, his fists clenching and unclenching rapidly.
"Doc?" Darwin asked again, only to jump back when Banner's head snapped up suddenly, eyes a brilliant green while his face was contorted in pure rage.
"Shit," Darwin swore before he vanished into thin air.

"You left Skye down there with those two?" Coulson roared, panic overwhelming him.
"I'm sorry, my powers are instinctual!" Darwin fired back, glaring down at the older man, "It was out of my hands!"
"Enough both of you!" Fury snapped, turning to Maria Hill, who had arrived to report Ben's escape only to find Fury already well informed and on the brink of having an aneurysm, "Hill, Sound the alarm, Code Green."
"Immediately, Sir," Hill responded, turning and racing out of the room, several lower Agents following close behind.
"AIDS, report." Fury snapped, "Where are they?"
A yellow hologram of a woman's head appeared next to him, "The Hulk seems to be funneling this 'Benjamin Tennyson towards the hangar bay quite aggressively."
"What about Agent Johnson?" Coulson asked worriedly.
"She appears to be in pursuit of them both," AIDA responded evenly, causing the man's face to be pale noticeably.
"Phil," Wasp said, resting her hand on his shoulder, "She's going to be fine. Hulk adores her. He wouldn't do anything to hurt her."
"That doesn't mean she couldn't get hurt in the crossfire between Banner and this Tennyson kid," Tony said offhandedly. Janet sent him a writhing glare, causing him to back-peddle immediately, "But she's competent. She'll be fine."
"Agreed, now both of you suit up and get down there before this gets any worse," Fury ordered, his tone brooking no argument, even from Stark.
Janet and Tony nodded and took off, the former shrinking down and talking to the air while Tony reached for his earpiece.
"Friday?" Tony asked, racing towards the elevator while Janet entered the vent system to his left.
"Yeah, Boss?" Friday responded, a massive smashing noise coming across the comm, "I'm guessing you're calling me about Banner currently using the wing of a Quinjet to assault a giant lizardman?"
"Got it in one," Tony responded, "Wait, did you say giant lizardman?"

Ben went soaring, slamming through a steel wall and scraping across the ground for several feet before painfully pushing himself to his feet.
"Damn." Humungousaur grimaced, holding his ribs, all of which he was pretty sure had been broken by Banner's last punch. Speaking of whom, he had just rounded the corner, charging towards Ben with pure rage in his eyes.
After Darwin had disappeared, things had happened very quickly. Banner's form had swollen and reshaped, skin turning a pale green while his clothes ripped away, leaving the Doctor wearing nothing but a shredded pair of khakis. He was now nearing nine feet tall, with a build more similar to a gorilla than a human, and as Ben had been discovering quite painfully, could hit like a semi.
Ben braced himself for Banner's next attack and managed to catch his charge though Banner pushed through, slamming him into the wall.
"Let go of me!" Ben yelled, trying his best to push Banner off of him, but despite his greater size, he couldn't seem to do anything to budge Banner.
"Change-Man hurt Hulk!" Banner roared, shoulder checking Ben before backing up and raising his hands over his head, "Hulk smash Change-Man!"
Ben crossed his arms over his head and felt his arm bones crack slightly, letting out a roar of pain. Ben actually felt his body change this time, his bones healing and growing thicker as he evolved.
"Ultimate Humungousaur!" Ben cried triumphantly before suddenly and viciously punching 'Hulk' in the face, sending him flying for once. He smashed through several crates before slamming into a Quinjet, just as the elevator opened behind him, depositing Tony while Wasp appeared out of the vent beside's the elevator.
Tony's armor clattered to life, flying from across the hanger to encompass Tony, while Wasp darted over to where Daisy was holed up, hiding behind a yet undamaged helicopter.
"What happened?" Janet asked, startling Daisy slightly as she alighted on her shoulder.
"Ben, that's John Doe's name, attacked us suddenly and set off Banner, and then things kind of snowballed," Daisy responded, flinching slightly as Hulk let out a massive roar before charging towards what looked like a bipedal fusion of an ankylosaurus and a triceratops.
"Don't worry, Tremors," Tony quipped, "The Cavalry's here."
"Really...because I don't see May anywhere," Daisy said flatly, only for Jan to superimpose herself between the bantering heroes.
"Enough bantering. Let's get in there!" Jan cried excitedly, tearing away towards Hulk, who was locked in a pushing contest with Ben that the former was slowly winning.
"Well, you certainly can't fault her enthusiasm." Tony joked before following after her.
"You might not be able to, but I certainly can." a new voice said as Hank Pym dropped from the ceiling growing as he did, "Is fighting really going to fix this issue?"
"Banner tried diplomacy," Tony fired back, aiming his repulsors at the grappling titans, "The Big Guy decided to give him the day off."
Pym sighed, "This should end well."
Ben caught sight of the approaching heroes and moved, or more accurately flowed. One second he was grappling with the Hulk. The next, he drew the other behemoth into a crushing one-armed bear hug while he raised his other hand, pointing it fist first at the others.
"Back off." Ben warned, "Now!"
"Ben, can I call you Ben," Tony quipped, "You might have just made the biggest mistake of your life."
"Wh-" Ben never got to finish his sentence as Hulk's head came up, cracking into his jaw with a sound like a cannon shot. Ben released him and stumbled backward, holding his broken jaw.
Hulk darted away, standing shoulder to shoulder with his fellows, his rage dying down a bit with the appearance of friends.
Ben stood still for several seconds before aggressively snapping his jaw back in place.
"I keep telling you. I just want to go find my cousin!" Ben roared, what little patience he'd had finally fraying.
"You hurt Hulk!" Hulk roared back, making to charge once again, only to pause when Ben leveled both of his form's massive arms at him.
"Yeah? Well, that was an accident!" Ben snapped, "This is on purpose!"
His hands suddenly reshaped, molding into organic cannons that immediately fired, irradiated bone rockets crashing into Hulk's face sending him careening.
Ben then charged, tackling the Hulk to the floor before swinging his tail aggressively at the others. Iron Man fired several repulsor blasts at Ben's face, receiving a painful backhand for his effort. Ant-Man and Wasp dodged his wild swings, though their attacks did little to deter the behemoth as he marched on, heading for what appeared to be the exit.
He reached for the button when a roar interrupted him, turning. He spotted the Hulk pushing himself to his feet, a massive shipping container in his hands.
"Hulk smash!" the Jade Giant roared, tossing the shipping container directly at Ben. Ben raised his hand to fire on it, realizing his mistake a second too late as his mind registered, 'Highly Explosive' along the side of the container.
What followed next was utter mayhem as his rocket's impact with the crate, creating a blast of neon blue energy blasting everyone off their feet and ripping a massive hole in the side of the Helicarrier, exposing everyone to the open air. Ben's ears wrung as he picked himself up, through as the ringing cleared, he heard a cry of fear!
"Daisy!" the miniature woman cried, darting out the opening; Ben's brain registered what had happened and then went blank. Changing as he ran, Ben threw himself out of the hole, free-falling towards Daisy, who was dropping listlessly, unconscious from the force of the explosion.
"What-" Wasp cried incredulously as Ben rocketed past her, his skin glowing green as he transformed once more, taking the form of a large humanoid pterodactyl. He grabbed Daisy carefully with his talons and then, with a burst of bio-energy from the port in his back, blasted up towards the Helicarrier, a shocked Wasp in tow.
Entering through the hole, Ben carefully deposited Daisy, kneeling next to her, ignoring the circle of people that had arrived. The Hulk, towering over the assembled agents with shocking care, pushed several aside so that he and several people Ben had never seen before could get through.
"Is she okay?" Coulson asked, concern written across his features.
A woman holding a medical scanner nodded.
"Everything appears to be in order, excluding some small burns and bruises." the woman responded in a light British accent.
"Oh, thank God," Coulson muttered, earning an elbow from Stark, who has his faceplate retracted.
"Why not thank the kid?" Tony noted, nodding towards Ben, who had finally turned back into a human. He was focused on Daisy, a guilty expression on his face, but Coulson could see he was on edge, eyeing the other agents with reservation.
"Thank you," Coulson stated, drawing Ben's attention.
"Tt's what I do." Ben stated awkwardly, turning towards Hulk, who was still looming over the rest of them, "Sorry for causing all this…."
Hulk eyed him suspiciously, grunted noncommittally, and then went back to staring down at Daisy.
It took several minutes, but Daisy awoke without little trouble, staring around at the crowd with a bemused expression.
"What happened?" she asked, curious to see Ben amongst those surrounding her.
"You went for skydiving without a parachute." Tony quipped, "But luckily-
"Ben saved you!" Janet interrupted, her eyes glittering with excitement, "I went after you, and he just followed me. He leaped out of the hole and turned into this pterodactyl thing."
Daisy gave the Shapeshifter a cursory look, which he returned with an awkward roll of his shoulders, "As I said, it's what I do."
"Hulk hurt Daisy?" Hulk asked, actual guilt crossing the giant's face.
"No, Hulk, I'm fine," Daisy reassured with a bright smile.
"Good," Hulk said, smiling softly.
There was a sudden commotion amongst the surrounding agents as several heavily armed men and women appeared. Behind them, a hard-faced African-American man with an eye patch over his left eye marched, a shorter woman with black hair pulled in a tight ponytail in step beside him.
"Would someone like to tell me why exactly my Helicarrier has a massive damn hole in the side of it?" Fury, asked his eye sweeping over the assembled heroes admonishingly.
"That-uh that would be my fault, sir," Ben spoke up, withering under the impressive glare Fury shot him.
"Is that so?" Fury said, "Well, I'm sure I'll get to hear all about it during our little chat. Take him back to his cell."
Ben's face darkened as several Agents stepped forward, Icers and handcuffs at the ready. To his surprise, however, the man in the armor placed himself in their path.
"I don't think so," Tony stated.
"What are you doing, Stark?" Fury snapped, "Get out of the way."
"No, I don't think I will," Stark returned, his face hardening, "Not unless we make a deal."
"What are you talking about?" Fury sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"You want us to rejoin the Avengers?" Tony asked, gesturing to himself and Hulk, "Fine, but only if he gets to join up too."
He pointed at Ben, who looked up at him confused, not understanding what he had now found himself being thrown into.
"Stark, he just blew a hole in the side of my ship! He hurt several of my agents. Hell, he gave Banner a run for his money. Why should I let him just walk free?" Fury snapped.
"It's for those very reasons that you should let him walk free," Tony countered, "We don't need any more enemies right now, Fury, and you know that."
Fury was silent for a moment before nodding his head in consent, "Fine, but not without a handler, we still know almost nothing about him, Stark."
"I know, isn't it exciting." Tony quipped.
"I'll do it." Daisy offered, "You had already marked me for the Avengers Initiative Director. This would make for an easier transition."
"Fine," Fury huffed, turning his attention on Ben, "But I'll be keeping an eye on him. After all, as you said, Stark, we don't need any more enemies."
He turned to walk away before stopping and looking back at Stark, "Oh, and you'll be helping with the repairs, alright, Stark?"
"Would you believe I already had some plans drawn up for this exact situation?" Tony snarked.
"Yes." Fury responded, walking away with Maria and Coulson in tow, the other agents quickly dispersing, leaving Ben alone with his new teammates.
"Thanks, I guess," Ben muttered, pushing himself to his feet.
"Hey, it was either us or a comfy prison cell on the Raft." Tony fired back.
"Not a pleasant place to live on all accounts." the other man agreed, "Now that things have finally calmed down, I feel like introductions are in order. My name is Dr. Hank Pym, aka Ant-Man, an expert on the Microverse.
"Janet van Dyne, aka the Wasp." Jan said playfully, "Hank's assistant, fashion designer, and all-around ass-kicker!"
"And this is Hulk." She said, patting the giant on the shoulder, "Alter-ego of Dr. Bruce Banner, an expert in gamma radiation, and-."
"The strongest one there is." Hulk said proudly, smiling down at Ben, "Hi."
"I'm Daisy Johnson, aka Quake." Daisy offered, giving Ben a comforting smile, "Agent of SHIELD, and I'm an Inhuman."
"We'll get into that later." Tony noted, catching the confused look on Ben's face, "My name's Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, billionaire playboy philanthropist."
"I'm Ben Tennyson." Ben stated, standing a bit taller, "Wei-former wielder of the Omnitrix, and well, I'm not really sure what I've gotten myself into."
"As I said, explanations all around." Tony joked, "Well, all that's left to say is, welcome to the Avengers."
He reached his hand out for a handshake, which Ben grabbed almost automatically, "Thanks."

Avenger's Tower, September 30th 23:00 EDT

Ben sat alone on top of the Tower, staring off towards the Dome. Since moving into the Tower, he hadn't been able to sleep, his dreams filled with flashes of Gwen, Kevin, Gems, and a girl he didn't recognize.
"Can't sleep?" a soft voice asked. Ben turned and spotted Daisy walking across the roof towards him. She was another issue, constantly checking on him to make sure he was okay, always looking at him when she thought he wasn't paying attention, her expression slightly haunted. He wasn't sure why she was so interested in him, other than being his 'handler,' of course, but whatever it was, he felt like it wasn't the correct time to ask.
"Yeah." Ben answered honestly, turning back to the skyline, "Too much on my mind."
"I can understand that." Daisy stated, coming to stand beside him, "It's kind of beautiful, isn't it?"
"The Dome?" Ben asked, staring off at the glowing red-and-blue energy field, "Yeah, I feel drawn to it, but I can't figure out why."
"It's a mystery. We don't know who made it or where it came from." Daisy responded, "I can see the allure there."
"I suppose you're right." Ben lied, getting up and stretching, "Well, I think I'm going to turn in."
"Night then," Daisy responded, walking back inside, leaving Ben alone once more.
"Gwen." Ben muttered, turning back to the Dome, "I don't know where you are, but I'm going to find Kevin. We're going to get you back and hopefully find a way home."
With that, Ben headed inside, prepping himself for another night of chaotic dreaming.
'The Dog House,' The Dome, 23:43 EDT
"She ran over there!" one of the Watch Dogs cried, pointing down an alley after the fleeing woman.
Fiona ran, her bird-like feet scrabbling against the broken masonry. She was terrified, being hunted by men and women that hated her for something she had no control over, something she had never wanted, all because of the damn Dome!
"Please, please, please," she muttered, racing down the alleyway, hoping that she would be able to find someplace to hide when she ran into someone. She screamed as the person's arms wrapped around her, but to her surprise, the figure didn't try and hurt her but instead just pushed her behind him. She looked up and noticed that he kept his face hidden in the depths of his hoodie.
"You okay?" the man asked, his voice rough, "Did they hurt you?"
"They-they broke one of my wings," Fiona responded pitifully, gesturing to the arm that hung limp at her side, the forearm covered in thick black feathers.
The man snarled and pushed her further behind him as several Watch Dogs rounded the end of the alley, "She's down here! Wait, who's that with her?"
The man stepped forward, his shoulders squared, only for Fiona to try and pull him back with her working hand.
"No, don't, they'll kill you." she whispered franticly, "And then they'll take me back!"
The man laughed before pulling down his hood to reveal a bald head, brown, almost black eyes, and an x-shaped scar on the bottom of his chin. He then pushed her further into the alleyway behind him, "Don't worry, I've been in worse fights than this since I was eleven. Now stay behind me."
The man straightened up as he wrapped his hands around the chain tied to his belt. He slowly began to spin a large metal sphere connected to the chain as he walked towards the Watch Dogs.
"It's Crusher!" one of the Watch Dogs cried, raising their gun to fire at him.
"It's me." Crusher, aka Kevin Levin, sneered, letting the makeshift flail clatter across the pavement, his skin turning to steel as he raced towards the Watch Dogs. He was going to make them pay for hurting that girl, and he was going to love every second of it.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The Dome, Bronx Checkpoint, October 11th 8:00 EDT

Cynthia Sanford clutched her son to her side as they passed through the checkpoint, letting out a relieved breath as for the first time in several months she caught sight of blue sky. Looking back she saw the hooded figure who had protected her and her son. He nodded at her politely before heading back deeper into the Dome. Why he wanted so badly to stay was beyond her, but she would forever be grateful to this 'Crusher' for getting her and her son out of that hell safe.
"Right this way Miss." one of the guards said, giving her a comforting smile. She noticed that several armed guards were eyeing her and her son, though none went out of the way to make themselves appear threatening.
A cursory glance would show that the guards were separated in two camps, those working for SHIELD and a group of career soldiers, freelancers, and military vets financed by General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, called the Gamma Corp. The tension between the two groups could easily have been cut with a dull butter-knife but Cynthia was too overwhelmed by her situation to take notice.
The guard, dressed in SHIELD combats lead her and her son over to the side, where another, dressed in the grey and green of the Gamma Corp, stood waiting in front of a computer terminal next to what resembled a metal detector.
"Stop here." the SHIELD agent ordered, though his friendly smile cut down on the harsh tone.
Cynthia obeyed, shooting both guards a questioning look, "What is this for?"
"There are a lot of people lost beneath that Dome Miss," the GC guard stated curtly, "We have orders to help catalog those that make it back to us as well as run a routine scan. Names please."
"Cynthia Sanford and Jacob Reece, my son." Cynthia said, her eyes narrowing slightly, "A scan for what?"
The SHIELD Guard spoke up, "Any abnormalities, injuries, or complications caused by time under the Dome. Sorry for the inconvenience Mam, but it is in your best interests and those of your son."
Cynthia looked down at her son, who was watching both guards with barely contained fear, though she could see that exhaustion was getting the best of him. She drew her fingers through his hair softly. They had been through so much already, what could one little scan hurt?
"Alright Miss Sanford, if you would step through the scanner first please." the GC guard asked.
Reluctantly she released Jacob's hand, startling the boy out of his stupor as he clutched for her hand, "Mom?"
"It's okay Jacob, I'm right here," Cynthia assured, stepping back into the scanner, which began to bath her first in a blue, then red, then green light.
The SHIELD agent knelt down next to Jacob and gave him a soothing smile, "It's okay champ, just this scan, then you and your Mom'll get to grab something to eat, and then rest on a real bed. I'm thinking you'd like that right?"
Jacob looked up at him with wide eyes and nodded.
"I thought so." the agent noted genially, "Say, how old are you?"
Jacob looked over at his mother who smiled reassuringly, "Go on."
"I-I'm seven years old." Jacob stated shyly, a smile slowly crossing his face, "But I turn eight next week!"
"Well aren't you lucky eh buddy?" the agent noted, gesturing up at the blue sky, "How's that for an early birthday present?"
"It's great!" Jacob said his excitement getting a laugh from the guard and his mother while the GC member smiled grudgingly, "I...I was really scared in there."
He pointed back at the Dome, looming above them like a near-endless red wall.
"I understand." the SHIELD agent said, "To be honest I would be pretty scared in there too."
"You would?" Jacob asked, his eyes widening slightly.
"Of course." the agent responded, "But you don't have to be afraid anymore alright?"
The GC guard spoke up suddenly, "You're good Miss, now for your son."
Cynthia stepped out of the scanner, giving her son a reassuring smile as he stepped forward.
"Just hold still okay champ?" the agent stated, walking over to stand beside the terminal, "Just a few more minutes and then you're scotfree."
Jacob gave another shy smile and stood very still, allowing the multi-colored scanners to cover his body.
"Thank you, for trying to make him feel comfortable," Cynthia said quietly, giving the SHIELD Agent a bright smile.
The agent smiled back cautiously, "No need to thank me, just trying to make him feel safe, you know. We've had a few kids through here before, keeps me up at night thinking about all those people stuck in that hell. I wish I could be doing more than just watching this checkpoint though. I joined SHIELD after the Invasion, wanted to make a difference but you didn't just wait through months of hell to hear me ramble on, sorry."
"No, I…" Cynthia was cut off by a loud series of beeps that caused the agent to bolt forward with his eyes trained on the terminal.
The agent and the GC shared a look, before the former turned to Cynthia, "Miss can you come over here for a second please?"
"What about Ja-" she was cut off by the GC woman, who gave her a stern look, "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him."
Jacob watched as his mother walked away with the nice SHIELD man, leaving him alone with this angry lady. Several minutes passed and then he heard his mother crying and yelling. He tried to run to see what was wrong when the angry lady blocked his path.
"Let me see my Mom!" Jacob yelled, trying to dodge around her, only for the GC to consistently block his path.
"It's okay kid," The woman grunted, "Your mom'll be back in a bit."
"But she's crying!" Jacob shouted, the air around him seemingly getting hotter as his frustration and fear grew, "Let me see her!"
"No." was the woman's curt response. Jacob bolted at that, dodging between her legs only for her to reach out and grab a hold of his arm. He pulled with all his strength but couldn't get her to let go.
"Let go of me!" Jacob yelled, the heat around him increasing, "Let me see my Mom! Mom! Mom!"
"Kid it's going to be-" the woman never got to finish her sentence as a wave of force rolled off of Jacob, sending her flying backward her body armor sizzling. Jacob stood there for several seconds terrified, as bright magenta smoke began to pour from his eyes and hands, pooling on the ground around him.
"What the hell is going-put it down Montoya!" the agent yelled, bolting forward just as Jacob's mother screamed. Jacob whirled around and found himself looking down what appeared to be the barrel of a gun.
"Mommy!" Jacob cried, his body bathed in magenta energy, which exploded outward in a blinding flash, leaving his Mother and the guards momentarily blinded. A wave of force followed knocking them all off their feet.
Agent Stewart pushed himself to his feet, blinking black dots out of his eyes as he looked around franticly. Sucking in a gasp, he pushed himself to his feet, staring around at the sight before him.
The Checkpoint was nearly unrecognizable, the scanner was nothing but a pile of ash, the terminals had turned to solid wood including the holo-screen which fluttered in the wind like unimaginably thin paper and for about twenty feet around the pavement had turned into something vaguely resembling liquid glass. Stewart noticed then that several glass foot-prints lead away from the Checkpoint heading back towards the Dome.
Montoya surged to her feet across from him, her eyes filled with awed horror as she took in the scene around them. She gripped the butt of her Icer tightly, and was surprised when it crumpled in her hand, having been transmuted into was resembled wet, pitch-black sand.
Stewart growled under his breath and made towards the Gamma Corp Merc, who glared at him defiantly when a soft tearful voice stopped him short.
"You told us we were safe." Cynthia stated, angry tears pooling in her eyes, "You told my son not to be afraid, and then you chased him back into that hell."
With that, her composure broke and she collapsed, weeping uncontrollably, as the events of the past three months finally overcame her. Agent Stewart clenched his fist, shooting Montoya another writhing glare, and walked over to Miss Sanford. He paused, before placing a cautious hand on Cynthia's shoulder. The bereaved mother looked up at him, anger, sadness, and a faint hope swirling across her eyes.
"I swear to you Miss," Agent Stewart said, his eyes filled with willful conviction, "We will get your son back."

Avenger's Tower, New York 10:01 EDT

Sitting alone in his sparsely decorated bedroom; Ben Tennyson, was for lack of a better word, anxious. Two weeks had passed since his awakening at the Helicarrier, which was back to full functionality thanks to Stark's quick thinking and liberal usage of the other Avengers powers.
He chuckled softly to himself, The Avengers. A disorganized team of misfits, with metric tons of baggage yet they'd taken to him like fire on oil. For that at least he was thankful, better to have a slightly mangled lifeline then be left floundering in an entirely different universe.
He let out a long sigh at that thought. He'd hopped universes before which honestly should have been a bigger deal than it felt now. However, in the past, he at least had some recognizable faces to go off of, even if the personalities were skewed. Here, there was no Ben, no Gwen, Kevin, Grandpa, Bellwood nor Undertown. No odd familitaries like aliens walking the streets or Plumber agents having coffee with cops in random cafes. For the first time in his life, he was alone, in a place so painfully similar but jarringly different. Mutants, Inhumans, HYDRA, San Fransokyo, SHIELD, Stark Tech, every big change made his head spin. So instead of focusing on the big differences; he'd busied himself with enjoying the small similarities like Mom-and-Pop Diners and noon-day traffic. His 'team-mates' had been worried about his apparent distrust of the world around him, though he'd been able to alleviate their fears with a tried and true method, fake partial amnesia. He'd come up with it all on the spot during an impromptu 'research' session by Dr. Pym, Banner, and Tony Stark at dinner a few nights ago.
"How do your powers work?" Tony had asked suddenly, causing the unexpecting youth to choke on his Big-Belly-Burger. The table had gone silent as everyone turned to look at him.

Choking down his food Ben had tried to play coy, "What do you mean?"

Tony pointed his shoulder at Daisy, who froze a set of pasta filled chopsticks halfway to her mouth, "Tremors said you have incredible control over your powers, which isn't something you would see out of a newly awoken Inhuman or recently Gifted person. That and back after the big fight you mentioned something about being the 'former wielder of the Omnitrix."

Ben sat there for several seconds like a deer in headlights before Janet spoke up, "You don't have to answer if you don't want to Ben."

Ben took another bite of his burger and shook his head. "It's okay, it's just a bit complicated to answer. So uh my memory's a bit fuzzy, as you've noticed, but from what I can remember is that I used to have this alien made machine called the Omnitrix attached to my wrist."

"How did that come to pass?" Hank had asked, the word alien having fully drawn his attention from his food, not that he'd touched it much beforehand anyways.

Ben faked a pensive look, "Can't remember to be honest, but what I do know is it has rarely left my wrist, and that it is or was what allowed me to transform into multiple alien lifeforms."

"So your powers are neither natural or terrestrial is what you're saying?" Banner asked, his eyes locked on Ben.
"Correct." Ben offered, frowning slightly, "I've had it for so long though it almost felt normal to have it clutching my wrist. So when I woke up and it was gone, I freaked out."
"This is all that's left." Ben stated, sedately revealing the green hourglass-shaped brand on the back of his wrist."
"Not exactly." Tony stated nonchalantly, "Friday, can you pull up Simmon's medical files on the Changeling?"
"Of course Boss, give me a moment." the AI responded.
"My medical files?" Ben asked, "Also Changeling? Really?"
"Humor me, on both accounts." the older man joked, as several holograms appeared showing Ben's vitals.
"Notice anything?" Tony asked, pointing at the images with his foot as he crunched down some onion rings.

Ben's eyes had widened, the burger falling from his grip as he saw the lattice of lights and liquid metal that had interwoven through his organs, muscles, and bones.

"It's oddly beautiful." Janet had noted taking it in for the first time as well.
"Yeah." Ben had muttered, a soft smile on his face that he then buried in the remains of his burger.
"So not gone kid." Tony had said, "Internalized."
From there it had turned into technobabble that Ben had quickly tuned out. He still had the Omnitrix, so that was one less thing to worry about though he still couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something.
Friday's voice cut through his musings, "Can all Avengers report to Mission Control, thank you."
Ben shot to his feet and steadily made his way downstairs linking up with Daisy and Hank on the way down.
"What's going on?" Ben asked, getting a noncommittal shrug from Hank, who was too preoccupied tinkering with the latest iteration of his helmet to acknowledge the question.
"Coulson is here to give us a mission briefing." Daisy offered, "I'm not sure for what though."
Ben nodded, as the trio rounded the corner finding the meeting room already occupied by a placidly smiling Coulson, fidgeting Janet, and Banner, who was sipping a cup of tea peacefully.
"We'll get started when Ms. Potts gets back." Coulson offered, as the trio sat down, Hank falling into place next to Jan, Ben sitting by Banner while to his minor annoyance Daisy plopped down beside him, "She had to tear Tony away from his latest toy."
Several minutes later a severely cowed Stark walked in, hair matted with sweat and engine grease hastily wiped on his jeans. Pepper nodded at Coulson and then headed back out giving Tony a pointed look.
"So now that we're all here, let's get started," Coulson said in a tone that made Ben think in another life he would have made the perfect teacher.
A holographic globe of the world appeared along with several classified files and newspaper headings. Several glowing pinpricks of light covered the globe spread from New York to the Outback of Australia.
"As you all know four months ago on the Summer Solstice an unknown entity or entities created the Dome," Coulson stated Ben sat silently watching the others nod. For a split second, he thought about telling the assembled heroes of what had truly transpired but he shook it off. It could wait for a later time, probably after he'd told them of his true origins.
Coulson continued, drawing Ben out of his musing, "We've kept the public focused on the Dome because if they knew the short and long of it, there would be worldwide panic."
"The short and long of it being what exactly?" Janet asked, sitting forward expectantly.
Coulson appeared to put on fifty years as his smile disappeared, "The Dome is just the tip of the iceberg Miss Van Dyne and believe me the deeper SHIELD investigates the worse it gets."
Several video clips appeared on-screen showing several buildings in different states of destruction, red energy reminiscent of the Dome coursing across them.
"A particle accelerator explosion in Central City, Michigan," Coulson stated, pointing at the first video.
"SHIELD-allied supermax prisons across the globe losing all security, leading to one of the largest simultaneous prison breaks in world history."
"The London Museum cracking like an egg due to a localized earthquake." Coulson finished, letting out a long defeated sigh, "It's like we're stuck in a…"
"Waking Nightmare." Ben finished unintentionally, drawing the room's attention, "Right?"
"Exactly," Coulson affirmed.
"Which prisons were taken down?" Banner asked, his eyes glowing green for a millisecond as his hands tensed involuntarily. A sudden tension filled the room, as Tony and Ben inched slowly away from their teammate.
"Thankfully the Cube's still locked tight." Coulson answered, smirking slightly as the tension seemed to immediately evaporate, "As is the Zoo. However, the Vault, Asylum, and Raft report all inmates unaccounted for."
A low grumble went around the table just as Ben interjected, "I'm sorry but can someone tell Mister Missing Memories what all of that meant?"
"They're a series of prisons dealing with different kinds of supervillains." Tony said evenly, "The Cube takes Gammas and Non-Terrestrials, The Zoo is a mutant wildlife sanctuary, the Vault was home to every evil nerd who misused technology, the Asylum was for the clinically insane and possibly rehabilitable and the Raft was for the ones at the very top of SHIELD's shit-list, the big kahunas if you will. That make any sense?"
"A bit yeah." Ben responded, turning back to Coulson, "So are you asking us to focus on catching the escaped inmates?"
"No, SHIELD has most of that well in hand." Coulson said, shaking his hand, "Fury just asked me to give you the full stock of the situation."
"Besides, the Asylum's Gargoyle doesn't want any of us moving in on their turf. Right, Coulson?" Tony joked, leaning back in his chair slightly.
"Yes, they prefer that SHIELD stays out of their business, and for the moment Fury is willing to comply." Coulson agreed, "But back to the matter at hand, there was an occurrence at the Bronx Checkpoint earlier this morning."
Coulson then went on to describe the events that had transpired, which lead to several of the Avenger's vibrating in their seats.
"Why didn't you lead with that Coulson?" Daisy asked, jabbing a finger at her former mentor aggressively, "This should have taken precedence."
"And I agree but the Director wanted me to explain the entire situation first before getting into the situation revolving around Jacob Reece," Coulson explained, his plain-faced facade slipping slightly.
"But why?" Hank fired back, his eyes flashing angrily, "A seven-year-old boy is lost in the Dome, dealing with powers he doesn't understand and Fury just sits on it?"
"It's the source of Jacob's powers that make it all relevant." Coulson said calmly, a mug shot of a thin man with wild brown hair and glowing magenta eyes appearing next to him, "This man is Owen Reece, aka Molecule Man, a key suspect behind the origin of the Dome and he just happens to be Jacob's father."
"Oh shit." Tony swore, sucking in air through his teeth, "That's not good."
The other Avenger's beside Ben reacted quite the same, Banner breaking the arms of his chair before regaining his composure. Janet's mouth was wide open, while Hank was making a sound like a deflating car tire. Daisy appeared to be actually vibrating as she muttered something vaguely threatening under her breath in Mandarin.
"I take it that is a very bad thing?" Ben asked, once again feeling the fool for his lack of even general knowledge of this world's dilemmas.
"Owen is one of the most powerful Omega Class individuals SHIELD has ever come across." Coulson offered, "He can manipulate the chemical structure of anything around him nearly at a whim. The only reason we ever took him into custody was because he gave himself up."
"And he's out too I take it?" Tony asked, his mind now working in overdrive as he tried to piece together a plan that could even begin to alleviate this impending disaster.
"Personel that managed to get off the Raft say Owen is the only reason they got out." Coulson offered, "He stood in the path of the other inmates until they gave up and fled, and then walked off on his own."
"And now a seven-year-old child, his child, with the powers of a god is running around an already volatile mixture of mutagenic energy scared out of his mind." Banner muttered, "Leave it to Ross and his goons to make a situation twenty times worse."
"Speaking of which Fury doesn't want you, or the Hulk on this OP." Coulson warned, "Instead now that things have cooled down he wants you, Dr. Pym and my Team to investigate the Star labs Particle Accelerator Explosion."
"What's he expecting to find?" Hank asked.
"At this point, even the smallest hint could jump this entire investigation forward." Coulson responded, "SHIELD is floundering at the moment, and the Council wants an answer, any answer."
"And it's our job to find that answer." Tony snarked, "Alright then folks we've got our missions. Tremors, Bumblebee, New Kid you're with me. Greenday, Bugs Life give Wells my best."
"Now if anyone needs me I'll be bolting on my work clothes, I'll meet you," Tony pointed at Ben, Janet, and Daisy, "At the checkpoint. Go, team!"
And without another word he bolted, leaving the remaining heroes in a state of confusion.
"Is that…" Ben began to ask before Banner finished his question for him, "A regular thing? Yes, yes it is."

The Bronx Checkpoint, 11:10 EDT

Daisy let out out a low whistle as she pulled her bike to a stop in front of the massacred checkpoint. Next to her Ben screeched to a stop, his new form looked like a fusion of a raptor and a rally-car racer, a black and green bodysuit covering much of his body except his black taloned hands, blue two-toed feet that wrapped around small black spheres and long blue reptilian tail. His visor slid upwards to reveal black lips, small fangs, and solid green eyes.
"Damn," he muttered, his voice vibrating softly.
Tony landed beside them in full armor, though it wasn't the normal red-and-gold. Instead, it had a more muted coloration of dark grey and muted silver.
"I've seen what Owen could do first hand." Tony stated, scanning the glass footprints leading into the Dome, "He could take a copper pipe and turn it into an adamantium staff, hell, he turned one of my arms to tissue paper with a gesture."
"To think of all that power in the hands of a seven-year-old...it's more than a little frightening," Wasp said, flitting from her position on Daisy's neck.
"You'd be surprised." Ben stated cryptically, his eyes traveling along the monitor turned into a blossoming cherry tree, "Everyone thinks absolute power corrupts absolutely but I'm not sure that's true."
"What do you mean?" Daisy asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Well I turned out fine didn't I?" Ben said, giving her a soft smile before disappearing in a blur as he raced to find Agent Stewart and Corporal Montoya.
Daisy watched him go and once again she found herself wondering just who exactly Tony had invited to the Team. She was grateful for Ben saving her life but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something off about him, not speaking of the blatant lies about his origin, which the Director and Coulson had quickly pulled apart after she had delivered them her testimony.
He was an enigma, an utter unknown, and his unfamiliarity with even some of the smallest everyday things just raised even more questions. Fitz had bet her that he actually was some form of alien cyborg that used his human guise to make the others more comfortable around him, all a part of some clever ruse or invasion plan. Daisy had scoffed at the wild accusation but after seeing how comfortable he was in any form he took she couldn't help but wonder.
After several minutes of silent investigation, Ben had returned, once again human with Agent Stewart and Corporal Montoya in tow. The former was a tall, slightly imposing man of African-American descent, with kind dark brown eyes, military length black hair dressed in blue-and-white SHIELD combats.
The later was a woman of average height, with long black hair tied in a tight ponytail, lightly tanned skin, harsh brown eyes dressed in the green-and-grey combats of the Gamma Corp.
"Agent Johnson." Stewart said, reaching out a hand which she took gladly, "Nice to see you again, though I have to say your friend here gave us a bit of a scare."
Ben smirked playfully. He was dressed incredibly casually for someone going on a deadly mission in hell on Earth, in a dark green leather jacket, a black and white shirt, khakis, and brown hiking boots. He was a ghost after all, so there was no need to protect any kind of secret identity.
"Can you tell us what exactly happened here?" Tony asked, his faceplate popping open as he walked over.
"Well, like the report says this mother and her child just stumbled out of the Dome. I think they had some help since I saw someone retreating back in as I approached." Agent Stewart explained. "They made it to the checkpoint and then everything went to hell."
He shot a writhing glare at Montoya who picked up the thread, "We scanned the mother, a one Cynthia Sanford, and she came back clear. Then we scanned Jacob Reece...and well he came back positive for an active mutation."
"I took the mother aside to explain the situation," Stewart stated, "Said that everything would be fine in the end her child was just going to need to be evaluated and added into our databanks. She started crying and was about to tell me something when I heard Jacob calling out for help. I turned the corner and the next thing I saw was Montoya drawing her weapon on a terrified seven-year-old kid!"
Montoya sneered and yelled back, "He knocked me clear off my feet and turned the pavement to glass! I was trying to neutralize the situation before it got worse!"
"He was a scared little kid!" Stewart yelled, "And you pulling your weapon just escalated the situation!"
"That scared little kid nuked our checkpoint!" Montoya fired back, "You were a Marine, you should understand in war there are situ-"
Stewart moved in an instant, his right fist slamming viciously across Montoya's cheek before Daisy intervened quaking them away from each other.
"That's enough! Daisy yelled, stepping between them, placing a hand on each of their chests, "I understand that tensions are high right now, but this won't solve anything."
"Yes, Mam." the former-soldiers stated calmly as they straightened up, Montoya clutching her bruised cheek.
"Well now that we've got that out of our systems, Friday and I have coordinated Jacob's clearest path back into the Dome." Tony stated, "But the deeper in we go the more my scanners will get scrambled so we'll need another way of tracking him."
"I've got that covered," Ben stated confidently.
"I'm going with you," Stewart said placing a hand on Daisy's arm.
"That isn't necessary, we can handle ourselves." Wasp said, a small smirk playing across her lips, "We're pretty badass after all."
"That's not it Miss." Stewart stated seriously, "I made a promise to that boy's mother to get him back and I plan on keeping that promise."
The Avengers shared a questioning look before Tony broke the tensions, "The more the merrier I say! Grab whatever gear you need and meet us back here."
Stewart nodded, brushing past Montoya as he walked away, who just mutely glared after him before turning back towards them.
"I'm guessing you're not coming with us?" Ben asked, a bit of distaste entering his voice.
"Someone's got to hold this place together." Montoya snarked unpleasantly, marching away without another word.
"What an unpleasant woman." Wasp stated evenly, watching her walk away "So what's the play, Ben?"
Ben didn't say anything at first as he closed his eyes, before his form suddenly changed, thick grey fur growing over his body as he shot up a foot. In his place stood what could only be described as a werewolf dressed in green and black biker gear.
"This is." Ben stated, his voice a thick growl, "Say hello to Blitzwolfer, once Tony loses his scanners I'll take point. This guy's sense of smell is impeccable, not the best I have but he's better at conversation than the other. Case in point, I think that Montoya woman was wearing your brand of perfume Wasp."
"So maybe she's not that unpleasant." Wasp joked, just as Stewart appeared wearing a bulletproof vest and holding a large dual barreled rifle.
"Ready to go," John stated, though he started slightly at the appearance of Ben's new form.
"Alright then folks, let's get a move on." Tony stated, "Fido and I'll take point once we go in, but be careful we have no clue what to expect under there."
The that the quintet set out, taking one last look at the blue sky above before entering the crimson tinted light of the Dome.

Elsewhere

This kill had been messier than the others, not that he really cared anymore. These 'Watchdogs' had shot at him first, calling him an 'inhuman freak'. They were partially right, he wasn't a freak but every day he lost more and more of the little humanity he'd had to begin with. He marveled at his appearance in a nearby puddle of water, marveling at the red-and-black second skin that had grown over his left arm and much of the left side of his face. His teeth were slowly sharpening into fangs; but where once he would have been disgusted by this change he reveled in it.
Michael Morningstar had always been a predator, in more ways than one, and now he finally looked and truly felt the part. No one under this Dome was safe from him, and his appetite was increasing and diversifying by the day. As the poor desiccated and dismembered bodies of the seven Watchdogs that had found him had quickly discovered. The only ones to escape his wrath were the beasts that poured from the deserted Zoo every time he tried to reach the gem inside. They were too strong and too numerous to take alone, not yet anyway.
The hunger was the only downside, one that refused to go away no matter how much he drank of others. Michael's head turned and looked toward the south, scenting the air, almost against his will, with a long, sinuous black tongue. There is was again, more energy and power than he had ever dreamed of. More than even Lovely Gwen or Charmcaster had to offer, and it was slowly but surely headed right towards him.
"Good." he rasped, and animalistic escaping him as he licked his lips once again. He slowly crept into the darkness, heading for his next meal...perhaps this one would actually sate him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Unknown Location, Time and Place

Daisy stared up at the red-tinted sky, trying to gauge how long they had been under the dome. To her growing frustration, she found she couldn't even see the sun. Around the group sat the shattered and warped forms of buildings, most of which were coated in thick grey dust.
"Any clue how long we've been walking for?" Daisy asked as Ben scrambled up part of a wrecked wall beside her.
"Friday is telling me we've only been walking for about an hour." Tony supplied, following her gaze skyward.
"I wouldn't put much stock in that." John stated, jumping over a car that had melted into the pavement, "Time doesn't pass the way you expect it to in parts of the Dome, sure we might have only been walking for an hour or, maybe, half the day has gone by without us noticing. I remember the time one squad went missing for two weeks on a routine patrol, we thought something in this hellscape had got them. Turned up out of the blue thinking they'd only been gone three hours."
Blitzwolfer let out a low whistle, while Tony just shook his head, "I've read the reports but is it really all true?"
"Every bit. Whoever caused this has a lot to answer for." John stated angrily, "Terrigen Storms, localized gamma radiation, the time dilation, distorted gravity, streets, and buildings seemingly changing places on a whim, it's a waking nightmare! "
Ben tensed slightly, memories of his arrival flashing before his eyes, "No argument here."
"And that's not even getting into people running around this place." John continued, "Watchdogs, Morlocks, Gammas, and don't even get me started on the things coming out of the Bronx Zoo."
"What are the Watchdogs?" Ben asked, sniffing the air for any trace of Jacob, "And the Morlocks for that matter?"
"The Watchdogs are a paramilitary group that has a special hate in their heart for all superpowered individuals." Daisy offered, grimacing coldly, "They've been a pain in SHIELD's ass for a while now."
"The Morlocks are a bit of a mystery, however." John offered, "All we know is they are directly opposed to the Watchdogs, offering safe-haven and even ferrying out any powered individuals they come across. They aren't particularly fond of SHIELD and they downright hate the Gamma Corp but we haven't had an issue with them, yet."
The quintet walked in silence for a bit before Wasp flitted up to John, a curious glint in her eye.
"So what's your story?" Wasp asked, perching on John's shoulder as their group continued down the shattered street, "Can't really think of many people that would voluntarily walk into a near literal Hell."
"It wouldn't be my first time." Jon responded, his eyes narrowing slightly, his eyes flicking about the surrounding buildings, "Spent three tours of duty in the Middle East."
Daisy walked on beside them listening quietly while one of Ben's ears flicked backward to catch what was being said while the other continued to listen for any incoming dangers.
Jon continued, his expression getting a bit haunted, "I wanted to make a difference, fight the good fight you know, but things got muddy."
Tony looked backward, "Where were you stationed?"
"Afghanistan." John responded, "We were trying to stop the Ten Rings from taking over the region but for every win, they'd get three. I was on a patrol near Gulmira when an enemy patrol hit us using Stark made weapons. I managed to get away with a broken leg and shrapnel lodged in my left shoulder."
The group had stopped, all attention on John as he and Tony stared at each other.
"So there I am, in a medical tent pissed off as all hell, mourning my friends, when I hear that this gaudy red-and-gold something just fell out of the sky over Gulmira and did our work for us." John finished, locking eyes with Tony, "In one day you managed to do more than we had in months."
Tony stayed silent for a couple of seconds, "The man who saved my life was from that village, he died so I could live, and in the end he wasn't the only one. There was this group of soldiers, college-age the lot of them, that saw me as some kind of hero. All because I made things that went boom and they were pointed at the bad guys. They died after that truth changed in less than a second."
"War's hell," they said at the same time. After that, the two fell into step with Wasp repositioned on Daisy's shoulder to their left and Ben walking several steps ahead.
"I hated you for a bit," John stated honestly, shooting Tony a side-eye.
"So did I." Stark remarked honestly, "Drove myself into the ground over it more than once."
"But then I saw what you did during the Invasion." John said, looking over at Janet and Daisy, "All of you, I was in Detroit watching grainy cellphone footage while you were out there risking your lives and, hell, some of you didn't make it out of that fight."
Daisy looked down, clutching her arms to her chest tightly but continued walking.
"I joined up with SHIELD the very next day." John stated, looking around at the others one last time, "You made me believe in heroes again and right now…"
"The world could use a few." Ben finished, nodding his head in agreement.
"Well, that's enough soul-bearing for one day." John stated, snapping back to his professional demeanor, "Because right about now, Jacob's the one in need of heroes."

There it was again, a familiar taste carried on the wind, mudding the trail of his prey. It was growing closer as were the faint hint of voices. A snack before the main meal, good, he'd at least try to savor it before the burning, ravenous hunger came roaring back.
He slunk forwards, what remained of Micheal quite impressed at how easily he scaled the wall, long black claws protruding out of his fingers. He crouched down planning on leaping down upon whatever sorry group fate had sent his way. The Watchdogs, those freaks lead by a man worryingly familiar, the random regular civilian or SHIELD patrol, it didn't matter to him, they were all meat under his salivating fangs.
He peered from the shadows taking stock of his new targets.
A run-of-the-mile SHIELD agent toting a rifle, child's play.
A woman dressed in black kevlar laced suit who's life energy seemed to constantly vibrate, she'd be an interesting one.
A small spark that he couldn't quite pinpoint flitting amongst the group, another oddity he'd enjoy catching.
Then there was a figure clad in grey-and-silver automated armor, whose energy seemed to be directly tied into the energy springing from the light in the center of the suit's chest.
And then there was….
"Tennyson," he growled, the second skin coating his body quivering with fear and rage.
Despite the canine appearance, there was no doubt in his mind that the creature before him was Ben. His mind suddenly felt like it was being pulled in half, what was left of his sensible human side begging to flee, go back to the hunt of their previous prey while the primal feral side screamed to leap down there and eviscerate Tennyson for every transgression Ben had leveled against him. He sat there for several seconds, body trembling with strain before a new scent caught his nose, Gamma.
Climbing higher, clinging to the shadows that hid him from scrutiny, he was able to spot the heaving form of some poor Gamma mutated freak deep in a fitful sleep. His savage mind quickly formed a crude plan, one that would hopefully work for his favor.

"Hold up." Ben stated, scenting the air, his ears twitching alertly, "I think something over to our right just moved, though the snoring to the left is kind of drowning everything else out."
"Snoring?" Wasp asked with a hint of nervousness, "What kind of snoring?"
"It's deep, hitching like there's something stuck in its throat, and oh God, I just caught a whiff of its breath." Ben spluttered, clamping a hand over his nose, "Smells like a rotting dumpster!"
"My scanners aren't picking anything up." Tony stated with a hint of frustration, "Of course they'd crap out at the most important time. Friday, remind me to start working on some new interchangeable armors. Codename: HAZARD."
"Noted," Friday responded, "Just a heads up, it's been eight hours since your last check-in."
"Great."Tony muttered, "Thanks Friday."
"I suggest moving past this area as quietly as we can." John stated, crouching down low to the ground, "That thing is either a Gamma or from the Zoo, either way, they're bad news, especially if taken by surprise."
The others nodded when Daisy spotted something dart across the road ahead of them on all fours.
"Guys I think there is something…"
She was cut off by a high pitched shriek that sounded like a giant bat combined with a dying car. It was answered by a deep bellow similar to an angered bull. That was followed by a loud crashing noise as something massive suddenly raced towards them.
"Get back!" Tony yelled, leaping into the air just as the clothing store to their left exploded, throwing dust and concrete everywhere. A single octopus-like tentacle erupted from the dust followed by a second and then a third, covered in sharp spikes. The creature's egg-shaped body followed soon afterward, one massive green eye perched above a massive fanged mouth that almost split the torso horizontally when opened, all supported by three elephantine legs. The beast let out another foghorn-like bellow, lashing out at the closest of the heroes which so happened to be Ben.
Ben ducked under the first swing, leaping into the air a moment later to avoid a crushing downswing. He barely had time to register the fourth tentacle before it was planted squarely in his back, sending him flying across the street. He managed to sink his claws into the ground slowing his momentum before he crashed into anything. He then charged back into the fight on all fours, sliding under the creature's tripodal legs to aim a vicious slash at it's back. The creature bellowed in pain, striking out at him again only for Ben to dance away.
"Open fire!" John yelled, quickly checking off his rifle's safety before releasing a barrage of bullets. Most bounced off the creature's hide, though a few met their mark. Wasp, Iron Man, and Quake quickly followed suit laying down a rain of energy bolts, repulsor blasts and thrown terrain.
The creature backed up slowly under the persistent barrage but other than small wounds that almost immediately healed and a growing sense of irritation they did little to actually injure the beast. It finally planted itself, a low gurgling shaking the air before it opened its mouth and vomited a mass of rancid green slime at its attackers.
"Oh, that is just utterly disgusting." Wasp quipped, darting out of the way. The others followed suit but this allowed the beast to fully wield its tentacles to their full capacity and it did so with great gusto. It slammed Iron Man aside with one swing, knocking him through the window of another shop, where he slammed through several ransacked jewelry cases before crashing into the counter.
"Ow." Tony deadpanned, pushing himself to his feet, "Definitely going to feel that one in the morning."
"You will be feeling it for several days, boss, maybe a week." Friday noted, "That hit cracked one of your ribs."
"Perfect." Tony snarked, activating his repulsors, "Well, here goes round two."
Meanwhile, the beast had been busy, snatching up John and tossing him like a pop-fly. Quake moved in an instant, forming a bubble of vibrations under him before he could hit the ground.
"Thanks for the save," John muttered, as she rushed up to him.
"No problem." Daisy stated, looking back to where Ben and Wasp were running circles around the creature, aiming the odd claw or sting to keep it distracted from the others, "Now I need you to back up a few feet."
"Why what are y-" John began to ask as he backed up.
Daisy never heard the end of the question as she launched herself into the air with a quake blast, sending her rocketing at the creature. Flipping around in midair she aimed her feet directly at the creature's eye. Slamming into it with the force of a truck, and then releasing a focused quake she leaped back off of the creature as it reeled around, bellowing in pain.
Looking up she noticed a long claw mark along it's back that didn't match Ben's claws. It was leaking deep green blood and appeared to be quite deep.
"It's wounded?" Quake stated in surprise, catching John and the returned Tony's attention, "We're barely doing a tick of damage against this thing…"
"Yet something in here managed to do that," John finished, "Recently, eyes up people, something else is out here."
The others nodded, while Ben had decided enough was enough, looking over at Janet, "Cover your ears."
He planted his feet, his jaw splitting into four pieces, causing Jan to shiver involuntarily as she clamped her hands over her ears.
"AROOOO!" Blitzwolfer cried, a deafening sonic howl escaping his body, pushing the creature off its feet, slamming it into the building. It began to push against the force of the howl, seemingly unaffected by the sound itself. The others quickly joined Ben, opening fire with their respective weapons and powers, peppering the creature until a cloud of smoke surrounded it's impressive form.
Ben stopped howling and went down on one knee, sucking in great lungfuls of air.
"Is-is it down?" he coughed, getting up to one knee. As if in answer the creature suddenly emerged from the smoke, collapsing to the ground with a low pained groan. It's tentacles squirmed pitifully on the ground, it's damaged eye half-closed, it's breathing slow.
"I'd say yes." John stated calmly but coldly, raising his rifle, aiming at the creature's eye, "But not out."
"What are you doing?" Wasp demanded, staring him down, "It's done fighting."
"For now, but it'll get up again later, you saw how much trouble this thing gave us." John stated, clearly unhappy with what he felt had to be done, "Think about if a regular civilian came through here looking for shelter, it would tear them apart."
Wasp looked around at the others, all of whom seemed to accept John's analysis but hated that it had to happen. Ben shook his head aggressively but found he couldn't find his voice.
John raised his rifle again and the world seemed to slow down for Ben, a small indistinguishable voice in his mind saying three words, "Mutated. Human. Pain."
"No!" he roared, moving like lightning, catching the barrel of John's gun and pointing it skyward causing the shot to miss high.
"It's-it's a person!" Ben coughed, stumbling forward, crouching down next to the poor figure.
"What?!" John stated, a mixture of shock and horror overcoming him, "You mean this was, my God I almost…"
Daisy and Wasp stood there stunned, while Tony walked forward, angrily mumbling at his suit.
"Come on damn you." Tony stated, "I built you to be resistant to all kinds of radiation, can you at least work with me here!"
There was a quiet beep and suddenly the scanners came back on, scanning the fallen slowly breathing form.
"Friday, what are we looking at here?" Tony asked projecting an image of the creature's internal workings for the assembled heroes.
"According to my files, with some help from Dr. Banner's dissertations, this seems to be a fairly extreme form of Gamma Irradiation." Friday offered, "I don't think he can turn back from this form."
"So he's stuck like this?" Wasp asked, hugging herself slightly
"I am afraid so Jan," Friday responded a hint of sadness coloring her speech.
"The Gamma Corp would shoot him on sight no questions asked." John stated, rubbing the back of his head anxiously, "Hell, I almost shot him, I almost killed a civilian!"
"But you didn't," Daisy stated evenly.
"That doesn't make it better," John stated, looking down at himself angrily.
Meanwhile, Ben had been crouched down next to the creature, whispering to it softly, "It's okay, we'll find you help. I promise."
His eye swiveled to face him, a low gurgling voice escaping, "Why always hurt?"
"I'm sorry." Ben stated, slightly taken aback that he could understand it, "We-we didn't know."
"Ben are you, Ben look out!" Quake cried, punching a quake at something above his head.
Snapping to attention he looked up to see one of Albedo's amalgams crouched upon the creature's body, though it looked different. It was more bestial, with organic-looking fangs, and bright golden markings in-place of the singular red eye. Crouched on all fours it was staring at him with such a sense of hatred and hunger that it caused him to take a step back.
"Tennyson." the amalgam rasped, before launching at him at full force. It grabbed him by the throat and tossed him backward so forcefully he slammed into a wall on the opposite side of the street.
Blinking the stars from his eyes he watched at it quickly and brutally took John and Daisy to the ground, backhanded a shrunken Wasp into a nearby upturned car, and punched Tony backward several feet. It's head then turned at an almost unnatural angle and looked at him, a long black tongue coming out to caress its lips. Darting under Tony's wild grab it raced forwards and leaped, landing right before Ben.
He tried to open up his mouth to release another sonic howl only for the amalgam to grab him by the muzzle and slammed him to the ground, before leaping on top of him and holding him down by the throat.
"Got you." the amalgam rasped, "Finally got you."
Ben struggled against the amalgam's grip, his eyes burning with a cold fury mixed with confusion, "You sure about that?"
He quickly unhinged his jaw and howled, blasting the amalgams head back. It screamed and he watched in wonder as the second skin of the amalgam pulled back revealing a familiar grey-skinned noseless face.
"Darkstar?!" Ben cried in surprise.
"I am going to slaughter you!" Darkstar cried, the second skin reattaching itself, "But before you die I'm going to tell you one thing. Darkstar is dead! I am Ravager."
"He might be dead, but you sure as hell talk just like him." a new voice stated, as a length of iron chains suddenly wrapped around Micheal. Ben watched as the creature was pulled off of him and was drawn through the air to be slammed through a remaining pillar in front of a destroyed bank.
Ravager snarled, aggressively leaping to its feet only to freeze, staring down not only the Avengers and John but a collection of men in women in ragged clothes lead by a tall man dressed in a desiccated black hoody, his face obscured by the hood, a small wrecking ball clenched in his hand.
The Amalgam looked around angrily, before flipping behind the hall. Several of the ragged individuals made to follow him only to stop at the hooded man's gesture.
"Not now, we'll track down that scumlord later, right now we've got people to take care of."
The assembled figures nodded, several walking past the confused heroes to check on the downed Gamma Mutant, while the hooded gentleman and several followers stalked towards them. Ben pushed himself to his feet, waving off one of the concerned individuals with a distinctly catlike appearance under her hood.
"Thanks for the save, Mr.?" Tony asked, looking over the hooded figure in his companions.
"Crusher." the figure said gruffly, though Ben froze recognizing his voice almost immediately.
"Mr. Crusher, well thank you for the save." Tony stated, "We're the Aven-."
"I know who you are." Crusher stated, evenly looking them all over, "I also know that SHIELD sent you in here looking for a one Jacob Reece."
"And how would you know that?" John asked, a warning look on his face.
"Because I was the one who helped Jake and his Mom get out of here." Crusher countered, his tone ice-cold, "And one of my people spotted him reentering the Dome."
"So you can help us?" Daisy asked, "We're trying to get him back, back to safety."
"Helping you remains to be seen." Crusher stated gruffly, "After all, the last time we trusted SHIELD with one of our own you just chased him back in."
"You'll help us." Ben stated, transforming back to human, "Because in the long run, we need each other."
Crusher froze on seeing Ben's face, but quickly regained composure, "You've got a point."
He turned and shouted to his followers, "Wheels up in five minutes Morlocks! Brick, Clay I want that Gamma loaded up on the transport truck and brought to Elixir as soon as we get back home. Inferno, your truck gets the Shield Agent plus the Avengers except, him."
He pointed at Ben, "That one's coming with me. Let's move people."
The assembled Morlocks nodded, as two of the larger individuals bent down and picked up the Gamma almost effortlessly while a younger man gestured for the Avengers to follow after him.
Quake looked back at Ben who gave her a confused shrug and a thumbs-up noting that he'd be fine.
"Nice to see you again Tennyson," Crusher said, pulling his hood back to reveal a bald head, hard blackish-brown eyes, and a prominent scared chin.
"Good to see you to Levin," Ben stated, clapping his best friend warmly on the back, who soon returned the favor.

"That was odd." Daisy voiced as they trundled along in the back of a pickup truck that had been converted into a form of troop transport. John appeared to have nodded off while Wasp was busy up front chatting up the driver.
"What was? The creepy crawling thing appearing out of nowhere to assault Ben or a random group of Morlocks, lead by a guy with a shitty alias showing up to save him?" Tony asked sarcastically, "Were you going to say both, because it's definitely both right?"
"Both." Quake responded, looking over at Tony with a serious expression, "They all knew each other, you could tell by the body language and the way this "Crusher's" mood changed not a minute after spotting him."
"Just another mystery surrounding dear Mister Tennyson." Tony snarked, pulling his helmet off and opening a small holographic screen.
"That's all he is Tony." Daisy stated, "One big mystery, are you sure it was a wise idea letting him join the Avengers?"
"Was it a good idea?" Tony pondered, tapping his chin, "No, but it was either this or let him wipe the floor with everything Old Nick could throw at him before Banner finally took him down. And that would mean he'd be pissed off at us, locked up where ever Fury is placing folks now, refusing to answer any of our questions."
"However, we get him on the Team, gain his trust, then he might just come off and tell us the truth about him, that "Omnitrix" of his and whatever he knows about the Dome." Tony remarked, "And of course Fury still gets to know what he wants to know, just on my terms."
"But what if he doesn't want to tell us the truth." Daisy countered.
"Don't worry Daisy." Tony stated, with a cryptic smirk, "It'll all come out eventually."
He refitted his helmet and smirked quietly to himself as the bug he'd placed on Ben started playing audio.

"I can't believe I found you, man." Ben stated, a genuine smile crossing his face for one of the first times since arriving, "Well, almost all of you."
"Ha, ha." Kevin snarked, rubbing his bald head, "Make fun of the bald guy. It just won't grow back man, I don't know what to tell you. Besides like you're one to talk man, what happened to your eyes man?"
"What do you mean?" Ben asked, touching the skin under his eyes confused.
"They were glowing, like bright emerald green, and you-dude where's your watch?" Kevin asked, startled.
"It's a long story." Ben stated, with a hint of reservation, "The short version, I still have my powers, though they take a bigger strain on me than they used to."
"Yeah, mine changed too thanks to this Dome." Kevin stated with a slight smirk, "Not that I'm complaining though."
"So how exactly did you become the big boss of a gang of mutants?" Ben asked, nodding back towards the small caravan following their truck.
"I'm not the big boss, I'm one of the big bosses." Kevin explained, "Calypso and Porter have been doing this kind of stuff a lot longer than I have but the Dome that was a new challenge. One that I excelled at meeting."
"What do you mean?" Ben asked, looking over at him.
"This place Ben, it's like the Null Void brought to Earth." Kevin stated, his eyes narrowing, "And whoever did this is going to pay for it. Gwen's lost in here and I won't rest until I found her."
Ben suddenly felt a sudden rush of guilt and sadness, "Kevin, about Gwen…"
"Hold on to that." Kevin stated, nodding forward, "We're here."
Ben looked out the window to see a large tunnel approaching them. As they dipped into the earth the red light disappeared and was replaced with warm gold light.
They exited the tunnel several minutes later into a large cavern seemingly constructed out of old subway tunnels. Dozens of shanty houses had been built, with people milling around, several of which looked up at the caravan with a look of resigned hope.
"Welcome to the Morlock's Safe Haven. " Kevin stated, "Dust Town."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Dust-Town, Date and Time Unknown

"Welcome to the Morlock's safe haven," Kevin stated, "Dust Town."
"Dust Town?" Ben queried, "That's the best you could come up with?"
"Got outvoted." Kevin said, nodding at several people as his convoy drove further into the shantytown, "Personally, I wanted to name the place Undertown."
Ben smirked, "So, you told me why you got wrapped up in all of this, but you haven't told me how?"
"Wait till we get back to my place." As he parked the truck, Kevin stated, "We'll swap stories, like how you got involved with the Avengers."
"How do you know about them?" Ben asked, surprised.
"Hearsay, mostly." Kevin admitted, turning the truck off and opening the door, "Lots of folk around here were claiming they'd get back together, fix this, shut down the Dome. That talk dropped off after the second month of being stuck in here."
"Well," Ben said, watching the others exit the second car, "They're here now."
The two hopped out of the truck, Ben having a quick look around. They were standing in what could have been called a town square in a regular city. Several small cobbled together houses surrounding them except straight ahead, where a large building had been constructed out of concrete and what looked like the melted remains of subway cars.
"How did you build all this?" Daisy asked in amazement, "It's only been three months."
"Perseverance plus five telekinetics, one pyro, and about a dozen low-level Gammas." a new voice stated, drawing the assembled heroes' attention.
Leaning on the railing of the large building was a slight woman with short wild black hair, lightly tanned skin, dressed in a revealing black half-shirt, and black jeans. A frayed eye patch sat over her right eye while her remaining cerulean eye looked over the group with reserved interest. Ben noticed Kevin tense slightly at his side as the woman's eye turned to him, and a bright smile crossed her face. However, her most definitive and slightly disarming feature was her arms, which appeared to be made of vibrant green intertwined vines up to her shoulders.
She sauntered down the adjoining ramp, heading for Kevin first, resting, in Ben's opinion, a somewhat overly formal hand on his shoulder.
"So Crusher," the woman asked, her voice dripping seductively, "Are you just going to stand there looking pretty, or are you going to introduce me?"
That Kevin managed to keep his composure was a marvel to Ben, "We've got regular superheroes in with us today Callisto, found them after they finished fighting a Gamma."
"Finished?" Callisto repeated, glaring around at them, her eye finally focusing on John's hefty rifle, "What do you mean finished?"
"Calm down, Cal. They didn't do anything that Foley kid can't fix." Kevin consoled, placing a reassuring hand on her arm, "They're heroes, the Avengers apparently."
"I recognize the gaudy tin can." Callisto stated, her anger receding, replaced by wary curiosity once more, "So Mr. Stark, I thought the Avengers were kaput. What changed?"
"Gaudy tin can?!" Tony stated aghast, "Please, lady, it's gaudy titanium can if anything. As for what happened, SHIELD got the band back together, with a few new members, as you can see."
"About three months too late if you ask me." Callisto deadpanned, looking around at the others, "And who are the rest of you?"
Tony stepped forward to introduce the others, "The lady with the near-constant smile is Wasp, directly next to her is hacker and shaker supreme Quake, the big man with the big gun is John Agent of SHIELD, and the man standing next to your friend is, uh, Xeno, yeah that works."
Ben raised an eyebrow at his impromptu alias before turning to Callisto, "Nice to meet you."
Wasp waved cheerily while Daisy and Jon gave rather formal nods in the woman's direction.
"Before you say anything, I know exactly why all of you are here," Callisto said, cutting Tony off.
"You're looking for Jacob Reece, a sweet little boy who is now lost in this utter wonderland right after Crusher," she paused, laying a hand on Kevin's shoulder, "Managed to get the poor kid and his mother out of here."
"I take responsibility for that." John stated, holstering his rifle, "My partner and I mishandled the situation, which sent Jacob into a minor panic attack and resulted in the activation of his powers."
"Those powers being?" Callisto asked all of her attention focused on John, allowing Kevin to extricate himself from her grasp.
"His father is Owen Reece." Daisy supplied, "And it appears Jacob inherited his abilities."
Callisto's eyes widened, "Well, that certainly complicates things, doesn't it."
"Which is why we need to find him as quickly as we can." Wasp stated, "He's a scared little kid, lost and alone with insanely powerful abilities he doesn't understand."
Callisto nodded, "Alright, then we're agreed to a point. We need to find Jacob. Luckily we have someone looking for him already. Come with me."
"I've got a few things I need to take care of first." Kevin stated, shooting Ben a glance, "Namely getting the Gamma to Foley. Go on without me."
"I can help you with that if you like?" Ben asked, drawing a suspicious look from Daisy and Tony. Ignoring the looks, he closed his eyes, his form changing to that of an at least twelve-foot tall tan lizard man. Callisto let out a low whistle of appreciation while Jon's eyes widened slightly.
"I'll help too," Quake stated, stepping forward, shooting a furtive look between him and Kevin.
Kevin gave her a considering look before turning back to Ben, "Thank you, miss, but I think your friend here will be all the help I need."
"Alright then." Callisto said with a roll of her shoulders, "I'll take the rest of you to see Ojo. Hopefully, when Crusher and the shapeshifter get back, we'll have found Jacob."
Wasp and Jon followed her without a moment's hesitation, though the former sent Ben a questioning look as she went. Meanwhile, Daisy and Tony stayed a bit longer watching Crusher and Ben walk over to the truck with the Gamma in the back, which Ben's dinosaur-like form managed to lift effortlessly. The pair then walked off with Crusher leading the way.
"I'm going after them," Daisy muttered, moving to follow after them. Tony stuck his hand out, stopping her dead.
"Leave it," Tony said, watching them walk, the bug he'd place still recording their conversation.
"You're just going to let them walk away?" Daisy asked, astounded, "They're clearly hiding something from us. Whoever that really is, Ben knows them, and pretty well from their body language. He's utterly comfortable around them, plus did you see the look Ben gave Callista when she started getting all touchy-feely with him?"
"Whatever is going on there will come out eventually." Tony reassured, "Who knows maybe they're were dating, and the Dome threw a big wrench in the deal?"
"Really, that's the first thing you could come up with?" Quake asked with a slight smirk.
"I'm just spitballing Tremors. I wouldn't quote me on any of this." Tony snarked back, "Ben seems like a good person. I doubt that whatever this is is worth getting riled up about."
"I hope you're right," Daisy said, giving Ben one last look before following the others inside the building.
"So do I." Tony muttered to himself and Friday, "Up the volume."
"Got it, boss," Friday responded, giving Tony a backseat to Ben and Kevin's conversation as he followed Daisy inside.

It had taken roughly ten minutes for Ben and Kevin to reach "Foley," who, to the former's surprise, was a fourteen-year-old kid whose entire body seemed to be coated in a layer of gold. After softly laying his hands on the Gamma, he surprised Ben again when every single wound sealed shut. Leaving the pacified and sleeping Gamma in the boy's care, Kevin and Ben set out, the latter back in human form simply to draw less attention to themselves as they walked.
Ben looked back, watching Foley wipe his brow tiredly before turning to talk to another new arrival at his makeshift clinic.
"Isn't he a little young to be the head doctor around here?" Ben asked, looking over at Kevin.
"He's not the head doctor. He's just the one we take people to when they're in desperate need of a fix." Kevin explained, nodding appreciatively at several people that had stopped to let them pass, "There are a few nurses and med-techs here that got stuck under the Dome and help out how they can, but this place can cook up all kinds of nasty unexpected things, plus we don't have a monopoly on medicine around here."
"Couldn't SHIELD help with that?" Ben asked, smiling kindly at a young girl as she ran past, her skin shifting from red to blue.
"SHIELD could certainly help with a lot of things." Kevin said, with just a hint of bitterness, "But the Dome itself makes it difficult. Sometimes it feels like the damn thing has a mind of its own."
They walked in silence for a while before coming to a stop in front of what looked like a slapped-together mechanic shop with vehicles similar to the one they'd rode in on parked beside it.
"Welcome to Casa de Levin." Kevin stated with a bit of levity, "Don't forget to take your shoes off when you get inside."
"Stuck in the middle of a wasteland, and you decide to make a car shop." Ben muttered, shaking his head slightly, "Why am I not surprised."
"Just trying to get some familiarity back in my life, man," Kevin noted, a somberness returning to the conversation.
Inside the house was every bit as ramshackle as the exterior with piecemeal furniture, some of which looked like Kevin had made himself. Kevin led him up rickety stairs to the second level, where two doorways opened up. To the left was a medium-sized room with a small cot, a three-legged table leaning against the nearest wall, and two slightly singed chairs. To the right was a smaller room, with a dinged-up dresser, a collection of colorful lights made from bottles and scavenged light bulbs, and a single mattress that a heavily sleeping young girl currently occupied.
Kevin walked into the right room first, leaving Ben standing in the doorway. Looking over his friend's shoulder, he took in the blonde hair, pale skin, an almost painfully thin frame, and to his surprise, arms that tapered off into large black wings, with small clawed three-fingered hands.
"Who is she?" Ben asked, watching as Kevin carefully, almost fatherly, pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The girl muttered something in her sleep but didn't wake instead of scrunching her face deeper into the pillow.
"Her name is Fiona." Kevin said, his hands clenching slightly, "From what I've gotten her to tell me, she's a runaway like I was. She was wandering the streets the night the Dome appeared, and as you can see, it changed her."
"However, the Morlocks weren't the first to find her. The Watchdogs were." Kevin stated a look of pure hatred on his face as he turned to look at Ben, "Think of them like the Forever Knights, minus the bullshit they spewed about chivalry and knighthood. They're all about human purity, meaning anyone different, like me, like Fiona, like every single person trapped down here is nothing but a stain to get rid of."
"How'd she get away?" Ben asked, noticing the all too familiar feral smile Kevin got when his darker side came out.
"She got lucky, managed to make a break for it right after they found her." Kevin said, but the anger failed to fade, "They broke her arm, did some other vial things that I don't want or care to mention, and then she ran into me. So did the Watchdogs chasing her, which was very, very bad for them."
Ben gave him a pointed look, but Kevin shrugged it off, "They deserved what they got, shattered limbs mostly. After that, I brought Fiona back here, Joshua patched her up, and I offered her a place to stay until I could get her out of the Dome. The thing is, she doesn't want to leave, and she's not the only one."
"Why?" Ben asked as Kevin stood up and led him over to the other room.
"Because she's scared of what normal folks will do to her when they see what she looks like." Kevin said, sitting down at the table, "Many of the folks around here that can't pass as human are, you can thank the Watchdogs for that shit too, and the Gamma Core."
"I thought the Gamma Core was with SHIELD?" Ben asked, leaning against the wall across from Kevin.
"It is nominally, but the folks are jaded, colored by the destruction Gamma Mutants have caused in the past." Kevin explained, "Like your new friend Dr. Banner."
"How do you know all this?" Ben asked again.
"It's been three months since we got dropped here, man, most of its hearsay and things I've been told, other stuff I picked up while out exploring the Dome and interacting with the few SHIELD stooges I believe are trustworthy." Kevin stated, "But more to the fact, how did you get roped into the Avengers?"
"As I said, I'll tell you after you tell me how you wound up being one of the head-honchos around here, 'Crusher,'" Ben stated, smirking slightly.
"Okay, first off, I didn't pick the nickname. Callisto gave it to me." Kevin started, holding up a hand to stop Ben from making an outburst, "Second of all, before you say anything, yes, I am very aware she wants to jump my bones. I'm dealing with it."
Ben made a face that was a mixture of disgust and a smirk before letting Kevin continue, "And as for how I got here, it's pretty simple. Callisto and her gang found me after I'd fought off a couple of Albedo's fucked up creations and took me under their wing. That was three days after we landed here. Around the same time, I started learning about everything, where we were, who the Morlocks and Watchdogs were, and that, more importantly, people needed someone familiar with trekking around a wasteland under a haunting red sky. Guess who fits the bill?"
"I started going out on solo excursions, finding folks and bringing them back to Dust Town, finding supplies we could use, making contact with the quickly expanding SHIELD outposts, and after the second month, started bringing people that wanted to leave to safety like Jacob and his mom. People started joining me, looking at me like a leader... I guess Servantis got one thing right when he was conditioning me. About a week into the second month here, I had a posse that was calling themselves the "Crusher's Crew," a bit embarrassing, I know, but what are you gonna do. The thing is, though, the first time I went out, and most times I go out still, I'm only looking for one person…."
"Gwen." Ben finished, a great weight seeming to settle on his shoulders as he plopped down into the seat across from Kevin, "Kev, I'm sorry, man, but what I have to say next you aren't going to like."

Daisy was annoyed, partly because Ben had been gone off nearly an hour now and partly because no one else seemed to be giving that little fact any attention. Callisto didn't care an ounce about Ben being missing. Why would she, though Daisy could tell she wanted "Crusher" back from wherever they'd gotten off to. Janet and John were too interested in finding Jacob to give Ben much thought, both of them peppering Callisto with questions, direct serious ones from the SHIELD Agent. At the same time, Wasp would pipe up with random, seemingly nonsensical questions, though Daisy could tell she was fishing for info that could be useful later on. Tony, meanwhile, was staring off into space, an annoying contented smile on his face as he leaned back in his chair, both feet firmly resting on the table.
She decided to instead focus on the other people in the room with them, a hooded, eerily silent figure that Callisto had introduced as Porter, whose very presence put Daisy on edge though she couldn't figure out why and Ojo, a young man that couldn't be older than seventeen of Hispanic descent dressed in tattered jeans, a deep green hoodie, and battered sneakers. As his nickname suggested, his most distinctive feature was the large, vibrant green cyclopean eye that sat in the center of his forehead. The eye was rolled back in his head as he wrote down notes in pen and occasionally spoke up with information that he thought was important for Callisto to know.
"Find anything yet, hombrecito?" Callisto asked, nudging the young man softly.
"No, I...wait," Ojo stated, a light suddenly shining from his eye onto the table, a blurry image beginning to form.
"What is it?" Wasp asked, staring intently at the shifting image, "Did you find Jacob?"
"No." Ojo stated almost robotically, listing slightly in his seat, "A family on the docks near Ryker's Island, the youngest child has visible mutations, vibrant pink skin, and tentacles for hair, there's a Watchdog patrol on foot headed right towards them and one of those things."
"Porter, go!" Callisto commanded, a black-and-white image taking the shape of a huddled family resting inside a heavily looted store-front before zooming off towards a heavily armed group of Watchdogs approaching from the West, in turn being followed by a creature that looked exactly like the one that had attacked Ben, excluding the massive metal claw in place of its right hand.
The mysterious figure left the room without a word, a crackling popping noise sounding as he reached the doorway, the cloak he was wearing crumpling to the ground as he seemingly disappeared.
"Porter." Tony noted, with an impressed look, "Fitting name."
"It should be." Callisto mocked, "He picked it out himself."
"What are those things?" John asked, nodding at the skittering red-and-black creature as it leaped off the roof towards the Watchdogs, the image cutting out as Ojo wisely turned his gaze elsewhere, "One attacked us earlier, and SHIELD lost a few personal to them as well."
"We have no idea." Callista grimaced, "We didn't know they were even out there at first. We would just find signs, people brutally ripped apart, a strange red-and-black liquid that would twitch and writhe if you got near it, shadows in the dark stalking people we sent out looking for food."
She visibly shuddered before continuing onward, "Then we caught a break after Crusher brought one back. He'd killed it, though, judging by the way he looked. It wasn't an easy fight at all."
"And?" Tony asked, sitting forward.
"Whatever they are, they're not human or even anything living, honestly." Callisto stated, "Under that twitchy red-and-black goop, they're mostly metal with bits of odd stone embedded here and there."
"Odd how?" John asked.
"They're covered in glowing purple markings, and psychics we have that have gotten near them get nosebleeds and roaring headaches," Callisto explained.
"Would you happen to have any of this stuff on hand?" Tony asked, deeply intrigued.
"No." Callisto stated, "Crusher destroyed much of it personally, after seeing what it did."
"Seeing what, what did?" Crusher asked, drawing everyone's attention, excluding Ojo, who had gone quite lost in his search. Ben walked in after him, and Daisy noted that both men seemed tense by the postures they carried while entering the room. Crusher, in particular, had a dejected air about him but quickly schooled it as he took a seat across from Tony.
Ben paused before plopping down next to Daisy, doing his best to ignore her probing stare.
"What took you both so long?"Quake asked, leaning in closer to Ben, noticing his left eye twitch slightly before turning to face her, phasing out the conversation going on beside her.
"We found Foley, who turned out to be a fourteen-year-old boy with borderline miraculous healing powers." Ben explained, "And then Crusher took me aside and probed me for information."
"You give him anything?" Daisy prodded, once again noting the twitch.
"No." Ben responded, "I told him that I just woke up from a coma and didn't know much about what he was asking me."
"How'd he take that?" Daisy asked, looking over at Crusher, who was listening to Tony's questions attentively.
"He didn't take it all that well." Ben stated, his eyes downcast, "But what about you? Did you find Jacob yet?"
"No." Daisy answered, silently taking note of the blatant redirection, "But hopefully we will soon."
They both turned back to the greater conversation, catching Crusher's final response to Tony.
"We run into any more of those things while we're out there getting Jacob, then you're happy to pick them apart yourself." Crusher stated, sitting back in his chair, "But I think you should know that one that went after you and your friend here is a tough son of a bitch."
"How so?" Tony asked, inching close to the table.
"It's willy, won't throw everything into a fight as the others do." Crusher explained, "It doesn't just rip people apart either, not all the time anyway. I've chased it off a few times, and the folks it's killed the look. Drained is the only way I can think of putting it."
"Drained how?" Quake asked, taking in the disgusted, slightly frightened looks Callisto and Crusher shot each other before the latter answered.
"Their skin becomes near paper-thin with this harsh ashy grey color to it. Their faces are almost skeletal in appearance." he stated, his fist clenching ever so slightly as he continued, "Men, women, children, the random stray animal, all of them looking like they've been mummified."
As he finished, Daisy took stock of her companions, John's face hard hardened, Jan had paled considerably, while Tony was staring straight ahead, his brain most likely thinking up a smattering of ideas on what this thing was. She turned to look at Ben, and he just returned her glance with a cold stare, his fists trembling slightly.
"It's like it sucks the life out of them." Callisto finished.
"And that's not the most worrying part of the damn thing." Crusher stated, "I'm not one-hundred percent sure about this, but I'm pretty sure under all that gunk is a person."
"How did you deduce that?" John asked, a hint of skepticism entering his voice.
"It can bleed." Crusher returned, "I got into a fight with it once, one of the toughest fights of my life, but I got lucky managed to cut it from sternum to below its ribs. And unlike the rest, which just oozed more of that tarry liquid, blood started pouring from the wound. It let out this horrifying scream and bull-rushed me, tackling me to the ground before racing off, running away as fast as it could."
"Well, to quote a favorite governor of mine, if it bleeds, we can kill it," Tony remarked, with a slight chuckle.
"My thoughts exactly." Crusher noted, smirking slightly, "The only problem is I haven't been able to catch it yet, not since the first go around."
Any further remarks were cut short by a massive explosion that rocked the entire building and judging by the shouts of shock and fear coming from outside all of Dust Town. Ojo gasped loudly, an image flickering to life slowly as the dust settled.
"What the hell was that?!" John asked, standing to his feet abruptly, fighting to get his rifle over his shoulder.
"Are we under attack?" Callisto demanded, looking back and forth between Ojo and the blurry image, "Ojo report!"
"You wanted to find Jacob Reece." Ojo stated, gesturing to the image as it came into focus, "There you have it."
It showed an aerial view of a smoking crater, which seemed to extend past the bounds of the projection. The assembled group watch in shock as several buildings crumpled forward into the pit, parts of their foundation and walls shorn away by the blast radius. One building slammed into the dead center of the crater, its motion dissipating the smoke to reveal a large crystalline structure that pierced the building as it fell; it remains severing around it and leaving it utterly unharmed.
"Jacob Reece is currently sitting directly at the center of that crystal structure," Ojo informed the group.
"Why?" Ben asked, "What prompted him to do this?"
"That," Ojo stated, the image shifting rapidly to show the smoking, twitching body of one of the creatures at the very edge of the blast radius.
Wasp let out a shocked gasp as the creature sat up and shook itself before opening its mouth and screaming at the sky, a long black sinuous tongue emerging from its mouth.
"There's your special case Sir," Ojo stated, nodding his head slightly in Crusher's direction.
"Where are they?" Crusher demanded, standing up, the others joining him in a fluid motion.
"A block north of us." Ojo stated, "I believe Jacob was trying to find his way back here when the creature ambushed him. And it appears that there are more on the way to him right now, most likely drawn by the explosion."
"Or you're special friend is calling them there." Tony noted, staring across the table at Kevin, "It's probably the leader, source of a joint hive mind, their creator perhaps, good old patient zero?"
"Whatever it is, we can't let it get anywhere near Jacob," Wasp stated, shrinking down and flitting out the doorway.
"You heard the lady." Tony stated, racing out the door with John a step behind, "Let's move people, Crusher you with us?"
Crusher looked over at Callisto, who nodded, "I'll try and get some people together to help you, but you need to go now."
Daisy followed the former out the door, Ben falling into step beside her.
"You up for a fight like this?" Daisy asked allowed, looking between Ben and Crusher. The former nodded silently as he slid his hand along the wall, his skin taking on the same craggy texture and sheen.
"We've been in worse," Ben stated, becoming something blue, lithe, and reptilian and was gone in a burst of wind, leaving Quake with an unanswered question on her lips.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"We've been in worse," Ben stated, becoming something blue, lithe, and reptilian and was gone in a burst of wind, leaving Quake with an unanswered question on her lips.
("Idiot.") Ben thought to himself as he raced and weaved through Dust Town, fittingly kicking up a massive cloud of dust as he went.
It had just slipped out. For a second, he'd felt normal, he and his best friend running off to face yet another threat, and after he'd snapped back to reality, he'd realized too late what he'd said.
Now he'd have to think of a way to play this off, another lie to add to the slowly growing pile. He knew Daisy didn't trust him, her eyes were always on him in one way or another, and he hadn't exactly engendered that trust.
"Worry about it later," he muttered to himself as he tore free of the tunnel that led down into Dust Town. Skidding to a halt, he looked back and spotted Tony and Wasp catching up.
"Where are the others?" XLR8 asked, his voice vibrating somewhat.
"Grabbing a truck." Wasp stated, looking him up and down briefly, "They said to go without them."
"Alright." Ben stated, staring ahead of him as the sound of feral shrieking could be heard echoing across the streets, "Meet them and you there.
With that, he disappeared in a plume of dust and just the hint of lightning though neither he nor his teammates noticed it.
"He's just full of surprises, isn't he?" Wasp snarked at Tony, taking off after Ben.
"Yeah." Tony agreed, his concerned expression hidden behind his helmet, "Full of them."
"Alright, Friday, activate all weapons, prime the Unibeam, and if you can play something heroic?" Tony joked, shaking off his reservations.
"Done, done, and how does 'Radioactive' sound boss?" Friday asked.
"Fantastic," Tony replied, shooting into the air.

Kevin withheld a snapping curse, as for the fifth time in about as half as many minutes Daisy asked, "What was that?"
"No idea what you're talking about," Kevin said, storming past her, expertly catching the keys one of his crew tossed him. He leaped into the front seat, John hopping into the seat behind him, and to his silent, consternation Daisy joined him up front.
"Punch it," John stated, though Kevin had already turned the keys and laid his down flat on the accelerator. The truck raced out of the tunnel moments later, skidding slightly as Kevin expertly whipped the wheel to the right.
"You two know each other." Daisy pressed, adjusting her gauntlets, "You and Ben."
"What's it to you?" Kevin snapped finally, fighting the urge to turn and look at her.
"Not sure, depends on who the both of you actually are," Daisy stated, looking over at him cooly.
"Ben's Ben, what you see is exactly what you get." Kevin stated, looking up to see flashes of light and thrown rubble appearing in the distance, "As for me, the name's Kevin Levin. We've been friends for a long while. We've got powers, we know how to use them, and the rest is none of your damn business."
"Oh really?" Daisy asked, taken aback a little bit.
"Yes, really." Kevin stated, "Look, lady, all you need to know about us right now is that both Ben and I will have your back in this fight, and after that, you can cart Ben off to you're big tower in Manhattan, while I go back to making sure those folks down in Dust Town have someone out there that actually give a damn about them. We clear."
"Crystal, Kevin," Daisy stated, in a tone that meant anything but.
"What about you, Trigger Happy?" Kevin asked, taking his eyes off the broken road ever-so-quickly to stare at John in the backseat.
"This conversation is above my paygrade." Jon stated honestly, "I just came here to fix a mistake I made, and I plan on doing exactly that. The rest of this isn't on my wheel of concerns."
"Alright then," Kevin stated, pulling to a stop several moments later and letting out an audible sigh as he watched XLR8 race up one of the still-standing buildings and then leaped off it, transforming in mid-air as he went.
"What's he doing?" Daisy cried as she leaped out of the car and blasted an approaching amalgam to paste.
"What he does best," Kevin responded, his hand transfiguring into a hammer, "near-suicidal heroics."

("They're just robots, twitchy disgusting robots.") Ben thought, just before he crested the edge of the newly made crater, ("So, no need to hold back.")
He took off down the crater, flying through the ashen dirt and expertly weaving around the rubble. He was halfway down the hill when he spotted the first amalgam, but it never saw him as he accelerated and, with a vicious slap of XLR8's tail, ripped the creature's head clean off. The force of the blow sent the body skidding to the ground twenty feet from him while the head raced off with the force of a rocket and slammed into the crystal dome with a noise somewhere between a gunshot and an egg cracking.
What followed was a host of discordant shrieking before several amalgams appeared throughout the rubble, their eyeless, fanged faces all looking in Ben's direction.
There was a bit more scrambling as what was once Darkstar appeared atop a crushed car and snarled out, "Tennyson."
"What are you doing, Michael?" XLR8 asked, his eyes flicking between each amalgam at a dizzying pace.
"I already told you Tennyson, Michael, Morningstar, Darkstar, whatever you wish to call him is gone." the creature growled, its thick black tongue lolling out of its mouth once more, "All that's left is the Hunger, and you're stopping me from sating it."
"I won't let you get Jacob. He's been through enough," Ben stated, his voice carrying a familiar edge.
"After I have him, he won't have to go through anything ever again." the creature stated, licking his lips.
Ben stepped forward, his body vibrating slightly, "You'll have to get through us first?"
"Us?" The creature asked before a barrage of rockets blew several amalgams into quivering piles of ooze and scrap metal.
"For as much as you claim not to be Michael, you sure do monologue like him." Ben snarked as Stark and Wasp soared overhead, laying down a hail of repulsor and energy blasts.
"Kill them." Michael snarled, ducking out of the way of a repulsor blast, answering it with a thrown piece of rubble. He then turned and raced back down the hill heading towards the crystal structure.
XLR8 took off, ducking under the first amalgam's swing, its head being summarily pulped by a rocket-powered fist. Tony streaked past, his sights already trained on another of the creatures.
Ben dodged around another amalgam, kicking out with his left foot cutting a huge swath across the creature's face as the ball spun across it. Wasp finished the job as she went into a spiral spin and fired, practically drilling clean through the creature's head. XLR8 continued forward, hitting his knees as two amalgams lunged at him and lashed out with his claws, the sharpness and incredible speed allowing him to bisect them both neatly.
He continued forward, racing down the hill at a breakneck pace, and spotted several more amalgams standing in his path. Barely breaking stride, he began spinning like a top, his body disappearing in a blur of motion before a sudden and aggressive tornado whipped up around him. The amalgams barely had a moment to realize what was happening before they were tossed skyward into the awaiting crosshairs of Wasp and Tony. Ben stopped his momentum and shot off as the amalgams fell back to earth in smoking, charred heaps.
XLR8 kept moving, dodging under and around debris, finally reaching the bottom of the crater. Skidding to a halt, he spotted the Darkstar amalgam examining the crystalline wall of Jacob's hiding place. Dashing forward, he raised his arm to body-check it into the wall. He noticed the strange shiver that spread across the second skin a second too late as the creature leaped to the side. Ben fought to stop, smacking with a sickening crack against the structure right arm first.
He stumbled backward, clutching his broken arm, and looked up at the amalgam. A cruel, fanged smirk crossing its face as it lunged for him. It savagely ripped Ben off his feet, holding him several feet in the air.
"Too slow, Tennyson." the amalgam sneered, tightening its grip, a toothy opening appearing in its other hand as it raised it towards Ben's face, "Now hold still-arh!"
It lost its grip on Ben's throat as Wasp peppered its back with bio-electric blasts. Kicking his way free, Ben shot back several feet, clutching his aching arm. The creature, meanwhile, fell to its knees, Wasp relenting from her barrage.
The amalgam let out a few seemingly pained gasps as the red markings across its body pulsed with a viscous light.
"What, am I too much for you?" Wasp taunted, powering up another shock.
"No." The amalgam rasped, turning its head slowly to face her, "You're not even close to enough."
It lashed out, its arm stretching unnaturally long, and snatched Wasp out of the air. She yelled in surprise, only to be muffled as its hand melded over her entire body shrouding her in black-and-red ooze.
"But it's a good start." The amalgam stated, the red markings glowing ever brighter; Wasp's cries and struggling growing weaker in tandem.
"Wasp!" Ben cried, bolting forward, heedless of his mangled limb. He flitted around the amalgam's offhanded swipe and struck upwards with his good arm, his claws lopping off the creature's distended hand.
It shrieked in rage-filled pain and leaped claws outstretched. All Ben saw was a growingly familiar blur of red-and-gold as Iron Man slammed into the creature and soared upwards with it.
"Welcome to Stark Air." Tony quipped, clutching the creature's arms to its side as it raged and writhed, "Mind the turbulence."
In response, the creature snapped out at him, its fangs grazing the faceplate as Tony instinctively flinched away.
"Whoa there, Osmand." Tony snapped, the plating on his shoulders opened up, revealing two small six-barreled miniguns, "If you wanted an in-flight snack, you could have just asked!"
The right gun fired, burying six rounds into the creature's head at point-blank range, which let out a shriek and fell limp in his arms.
"Another one bites the du-urgh!" his joke was cut off by a vicious head-butt that sent him reeling, allowing the creature to break his hold and plummeted back towards the top of the crystal formation below.
Tony shook his head, opening the faceplate to spit out a wad of blood, and then called after the amalgam, "Sir, you forgot your luggage!"
A pair of rockets popped out of his right wrist and fired, slamming into the creature and consuming it in a burst of smoke and flame. There was a lull in the fighting as the smoke poured skyward, only for it to be interrupted as a blast of crimson red energy ripped free of the cloud.
Tony barely managed to dodge out of the way in time as the smoke cleared, revealing the creature, its maw still glowing from the blast.
"Well, isn't he just full of surprises?" Tony remarked, "Alright, Friday, let's show him ours."
"Unibeam at full charge." The AI responded, the familiar humming reaching Tony's ears.
There was a lull in the air as the amalgam stared up at him, just as the Arc Reactor's light intensified for a second before a searing beam of neon blue light shot forward and slammed the creature directly in the face.
The creature seemed to flinch away, holding its hands up to protect its face from the torrent of energy.
Tony began to make a snide comment when several warning lights erupted over his HUD.
"What's happening!?" Tony cried.
"We're suffering an immense power bleed, Boss, more than the Unibeam should be capable of producing," Friday responded, running a quick diagnostic.
"Well, what's causing it?" Tony asked before noting that the red lines across the creature's hide were pulsing with a dull crimson light, "Nevermind, cut power to Unibeam!"
"Already done, sir." Jarvis stated, with a hint of trepidation, "But the creature is still drawing power directly from your Arc Reactor."
"Shit." Tony stated, feeling himself being drawn towards the creature as it stood tall, a menacing grin on its face, "How long do I have until I need to be seriously worried."
"We're already on the second reserve before your heart will be in danger of tampering," Friday informed.
"Good thing I already set up my will." Tony joked, the familiar touch of a panic attack about to overtake him.
A sudden boom of thunder, which made him briefly pray for the return of Point Break, and a deep voice shouting, "Incoming!" snapped him free of his panic as he and the creature looked up in unison.

Several Minutes Ago

XLR8 raced as far as he could from the battle behind him, clutching Wasp close to his chest. It took mere seconds to reach a relatively safe location far from the center of the fighting, or at least he hoped so. Wincing slightly as his right arm pulsed with pain once more, he carefully knelt and laid Wasp down before him.
"Wasp?" Ben asked, gently nudging the side of her cheek with his good claw.
She didn't look good. Her skin was a sickly gray, her cheeks had sunken in, and her breathing was shallow. He gently nudged her again, his heart beating a frantic crescendo against his ribs as she once again failed to stir.
"Wasp!" Ben cried a bit louder, freezing at the sounds of explosions in the distance.
"Come on, Janet." Ben pleaded, reaching down to prod at her one last time, "Please be okay."
As he reached out, a blue spark leaped from his claws to her body, jolting them both.
"Ah, what the hell!" Ben shouted, pulling his hand to shake the sudden numbness away.
"Ben?" Wasp choked out, drawing his attention back to her as she sat up slowly. She was shaking slightly, "What happened?"
"That thing got a hold of you." Ben answered, "It started draining you, I got it off of you, and Tony took it skyward."
"Did he, did he beat it?" Wap asked, growing to her regular height.
"I don't-" he paused, like a bolt of red energy, lanced through the sky soaring above their heads.
"That'd be a no." Wasp noted, trying to push herself to her feet, "We have to go help him."
"No." Ben stated, holding his hand up to stop her, "You're not in any condition to go fighting that thing again. I'll go."
"You've got a broken arm!" Wasp protested, finally stumbling to her feet, "I'm just a little drained, is all."
She took a step forward and almost immediately collapsed. Ben caught her before she fell, only to cry out as her weight pressed down on his injured arm.
"Okay, so we're both not in the best shape right now." Ben conceded, pulling away from her, "But I can fix my arm."
"How?" Wasp asked. A bit of color had returned to her face, but it was clear she was much more tired than she wanted to let on.
"By doing something incredibly stupid." Ben stated, "Stay here. The others should be here soon, hopefully."
"Ben!" Janet called out, but he was already gone, dust flying after him.
"Okay, Tennyson," Ben muttered to himself, finally catching sight of Tony's suit being sucked dry of energy by Michael, "You got this."
Galvanized by seeing yet another of his newly made teammates in danger, he increased his speed, spotting a still crumbling building that was hanging out towards the top of the crystal dome. He veered towards it and raced up it, continuing to pick up speed as he tore up its five-story length before he finally leaped off. There was a clap like thunder, followed by a shower of glass as he went airborne.
"Please work. Please work," he begged as he closed his eyes and concentrated. He felt the change after a few seconds, his skin and bones turning into solid crystals.
Snapping his eyes open, he saw Tony and Michael arrayed before him and called out, "Incoming!"
The creature broke away from Tony and just barely dodged being summarily impaled by Diamondhead's sharpened appendage. The limb shattered on impact, sending shards of crystal everywhere, several piercing Ravager.
The limb reformed, the pain disappearing as it did so, Ben rounding on the slavering enemy.
"The Stark Buffet is now closed. Thank you for your patronage." Ben snarked, firing off a hail of shards and following it up with a vicious haymaker that sent Ravager tumbling down the crystal structure.
Tony faltered in the air a bit as the vampiric draw of his energy ceased but managed to right himself.
"You good?" Diamondhead asked, leaping down after the amalgam.
"Dizzy as all hell, but that's a regular Saturday for me." Tony snarked, "Note to self, avoid energy-based attacks around strange ooze beasts.

Quake powdered another amalgam as it leaped for her throat, ducking under the barking barrel of John's gun as he swivel-shot, his expression stone. Kevin, meanwhile, had formed his arms into long thing blades, bisecting and dismembering any amalgams that tried to get too close to him.
"Reloading!" John yelled, hastily discharging his spent cartridge and fishing for another. Daisy nodded, laying down covering fire, sending the swarming amalgams tumbling often directly into Levin's shredding path.
"They just keep coming." Quake stated, "How many of these damn things are there?"
"No idea!" Levin fired back, "But I think we're at least thinning the herd."
At that, ten more of the creatures emerged from around an alleyway in a screaming fury.
"You were saying?" Daisy snarked, barely dodging out of the way of another's vicious strike.
Kevin grunted angrily, piercing her attacker from behind, then ripping upward, turning it into two twitching pieces of ichor and metal.
John, meanwhile, pivoted towards the onrushing horde, flipped a switch on the side of his rifle, and pulled the trigger. There was a dull 'shunk' followed by an immense explosion, the amalgams being consumed in an eruption of fire and smoke. When the latter cleared, all that was left was writhing chunks of ichor and not much else.
"Let's move." John stated, "Every minute we waste getting bogged down is another Jacob stays in danger."
The trio rushed ahead in silence, pausing as a large, four-armed amalgam, each limb ending in a barbed blade, turned to face them.
It let out a burbling roar and raced to face them.
"These things just come in all different kinds of ugly, don't they?" Quake snarked as the trio all fell into fighting stances.
The creature lurched suddenly as a burst of yellow light piercing clean through its chest and out the other side.
Quake opened fire, her vibrations ripping the viscous material clean off the metallic undercarriage, while John's bullets bounced off with little effect. The creature stutter-stepped forward as another burst of light emerged from the center of its eye. Kevin leaped, his hand forming into a large mace, which he then splattered the creature's head with little resistance.
The beast fell to the ground with Kevin ridding it down, revealing a haggard but smiling Wasp.
"Nice of you to finally join the party," she remarked, her wane features contrasting with the fire in her eyes.
"Jan, are you alright?" Daisy asked.
"That thing, the smart one, you were right when you said it drains people," Wasp remarked, touching her slightly sunken cheeks, "But I'm still good, come on Tony and Ben are still fighting that thing.
Wasp shrunk down, daring ahead with the others a step behind her.

Ben stared around the shadowed crater, hunting for any sign of Morningstar, back to back with Tony, his repulsors primed for an amalgam that emerged from the dust-choked darkness.
"Come on out!" Tony cried, "I'm really getting tired of this peek-a-boo you keep playing."
"Guys!"
The pair whirled, looking up to a shattered bit of building Wasp had alighted on with the others in tow.
"I thought I told you to stay safe," Diamondhead called up to her accusingly.
"Where's the fun in that?" she called back, flitting down to sit on his shoulder. Quake jumped down after her, a cushion of vibrations slowing her fall, while Kevin and John slid down into the pit, kicking up more dust as they went.
"Besides, this thing is outnumbered five-to-one at this point." Jan snarked loudly, swiveling around on Ben's crystalline shoulder, "That's why your hiding right! Too scared?"
"Jan, pipe down. We're not here to pick a fight." Tony remarked, "We need to get Jacob out of here before more of those things or the smarty-pants comes back."
"Watch my back," Kevin stated as he walked up to the crystal bunker and laid his palm flat against it. The others moved into a tight circle, with their backs to him.
Ben looked over his shoulder, watching as Kevin's body was slowly coated with the same material that made up the bunker.
"Diamond," Kevin stated, rapping his fingers against the surface, "Hardest naturally occurring crystal on Earth. Xeno and I might be able to punch our way through, but that would take too much time, and it would probably scare the kid enough that more would appear, or in a panic, he could create something else to stop us."
"So loud and proud is off the table." Tony agreed, "What else we got?"
"Switch out," Quake said, gesturing for Kevin to take her place.
"It'll take a lot out of me, but I think I might be able to create an opening, a small one," she stated, placing both hands on the side of the structure.
"How big?" John asked, his rifle up as he slowly scanned the shadows around them.
Quake was quiet for a moment as she closed her eyes. Ben could feel the vibration's building as her face scrunched up, a crack beginning to form between her hands. She began to move her hands apart, sweat beading across her brow. The crack widened and then deepened, as big around as a softball but growing no wider.
A soft snarl drew the other's attention back away from her, their eyes tracking the cloying dust for any movement.
"You won't take my prize." Ravager stated, its voice echoing all around them.
"Prize?" John growled, taking a step out of the ring, "You sick bastard."
"I smell your shame. This is your fault." the creature continued, the sound of falling rock sending everyone into a defensive stance, while Quake continued working on the opening.
"You know I'm getting really tired of you monologuing at us." Ben snarked a snarl off to his right, met with a hail of gunfire from John. The dust parted to reveal nothing but bare stone, the bullets cracking uselessly into the dirt.
There was a loud cracking sound and a sigh of exertion as Quake stumbled backward, blood dripping from her nose, "That's all I've got."
The hole hadn't widened any further, but the soft sound of crying could be heard at the edge of everyone's hearing.
"Right, Jan, go!" Tony ordered, the size-shifter shrinking in response and darting in the hole without a second thought.
The dust cloud shifted as several bits of masonry fell through it, causing Ben to look up and see the glowing yellow eyes of Ravager staring back at him.
"Above!" Ben shouted, "Open-fire!"
A hail of crystal shards, bullets, and repulsor blasts roared upwards, slamming into the masonry as the creature leaped aside.
"Back off!" John roared, another grenade ripping free of his gun and sending the creature careening way off course.
It hit the ground with a snarl, scrambling to its feet as the heroes rounded on it.
"You're outgunned and outnumbered," Tony stated, several compartments opening across his armor, revealing a throng of dangerous-looking ordnance, "Stand down."
"Outnumbered," the creature muttered, red-light rippling across its body, "No, no, no. I'm not. We aren't. We are not alone."
The creature began to twitch and contort, screaming violently, as parts of its body began to slog off and grow violently.
"That has to be one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen," Tony muttered.
John cut him off, "Fewer jokes, more firing!"
The suppressing fire did little to deter the rapid change, as limbs and fanged heads emerged up, copies of Ravager that immediately darted forward, the five clones meeting first Kevin and then Ben in melee combat.
The boneless, amorphous creatures shrugged off most physical attacks, tanking bullets and repulsor blasts with no difficulty, while severed limbs grew back within moments.
The quake, already imbalanced from the strain of getting through the diamond, was knocked to the ground by a Ravager, its teeth sinking into her raised arms. She screamed as John also went down, a Ravager inches from burying its fangs in his neck. Tony struggled against another as its pliable body began to seep between the plates of his armor and pull it apart.
Kevin was managing to hold his own, the Ravager unable to bite through his skin, but it was slowly but surely pushing him away from the group, his attacks finding no purchase against its pliable body.
Ben was in a similar situation, watching furiously as the true Ravager stood up, all that remained of its second skin, the golden "eyes," its backward bending legs, and overly long-clawed upper arms. His cadaverous grey flesh and tattered black clothing were revealed to the world, a sickeningly hungry grin on his face as he darted between the struggling heroes.
Ben watched in horror as a long black tongue emerged from Morningstar's mouth and shot into the hole, squirming like an oily snake as it chased after Wasp.
"Correction, that is the most disturbing thing I have ever seen." Tony snarked, even as he struggled to free himself from the Ravager Clone.
"This hunger will be sated," Morningstar muttered around the sickenly long tongue.
"I told you," John stated, a knife appearing in his hands, that he then flung at Ravager, severing his tongue even as the clone dug its fangs into his right shoulder, "To. Back. Off!"
Micheal fell backward, screaming as oily black blood began to pour from his mouth as he rounded on his wounded but furiously struggling attacker. Tendrils shot out from the clone, attaching itself back with the prime and formed into an immense clawed hand, one talon digging into John's bite wound as he was lifted off his feet. Life began to seep from John's body, his skin graying and his cheeks growing wane.
Ben's vision went red, then green as he changed.

Wasp followed the sound of panicked crying as fast as she could, darting out of the hole Daisy had made, emerging into the pitch-black interior of the structure. Her body glowed with a brilliant yellow light, allowing her to see a fair bit around her. This section was utterly empty, at least a dull pink and orange glow, refracting through one pillar of diamond to her right. As she darted around the corner, she froze.
There was Jacob, weeping quietly as glowing magenta smoke seeped from his body, dissipating as it reached the ceiling. Around him in an irregular circle was a frothing pit of lava that made the room hotter than a sauna and seemed to be slowly growing outward.
"Jacob?" Wasp asked, moving forward only to stop as the boy jumped and looked up, fear in his glowing magenta eyes, snot, and tears leaking down his face.
"Who are you?" Jacob asked, backing away from her further as more rock crumbled into the moat of lava, "Do you want to hurt me? Leave me alone!"
Wasp grew to her full size and kneeled, several feet back from the lava, a soft smile on her face, "My name is Janet, but right now I'm the Wasp. I would never want to hurt you, honey. In fact, I'm here to get you back to your mom, and so are my friends outside. Don't worry. I won't get any closer if you don't want me to."
She sat down slowly, "But I need you to come with me, okay? It's not safe here."
She reached a hand out towards him very slowly.
"People said they were gonna help my mom and me before." Jacob whimpered, "But they didn't."
"I know, they made some bad mistakes, and you must have been so scared." Janet agreed, "But I promise, cross my heart, that everything is going to be okay."
Jacob stared at her quietly for a few moments, an explosion outside sending him into a cowering ball, "If things are going to be okay, then why does that keep happening?!"
"That's my friends, who are fighting really, really hard to get rid of the monsters, so we can take you home." Wasp said soothingly, "Nothing bad is gonna happen to you as long as we're here."
He peeked up at her, "You mean it?"
She laughed softly, "Of course I mean it, we're the Avengers, honey. We protect anyone who needs protecting."
"Okay." he said, looking up at her with a hopeful smile, "Okay."
"Can I come closer?" she asked, gesturing at the lava. He looked down at it for a moment, then back up at her.
"I...I don't know how to make it stop." Jacob muttered.
"It's okay, maybe try thinking about something happy." she offered, "Like your Mom, or your friends, your favorite food?"
He closed his eyes, scrunching his face up as he concentrated, and Wasp watched in gleeful amazement the lava cooled almost instantly. She slowly moved forward, as he opened his eyes and smiled up at her as she got closer, only for the expression to turn to terror at something behind her.
She whirled around as a sinuous black, fanged oozing serpent darted towards Jacob, who screamed. The serpent leaped only for Wasp to take its head clean off with a well-placed blast, followed by another that pulped the body into nothingness.
Wasp kneeled and drew the shaking boy into her. She hugged him tight with one arm, the other filling the room with light, her eyes hunting for other attackers. Jacob buried his face into her shoulder, whimpering softly.
"It's okay. I've got you." Janet stated, repeating that softly as she continued to hug him against her side, "You're safe, I promise."

The was a blood-chilling scream as the clone holding Daisy down suddenly disappeared, a gout of flame burning across its body. It rolled off of her as she pushed herself into a sitting position, her head still swimming.
Ben had changed into a familiar form, an entity made of fire and red rock that was currently breathing a blaze of fire across the Prime Ravager, who had dropped John and was surging towards its new attacker.
"Come on!" Ben shouted, the torrent abating for a moment, as two pieces of stone levitated and began burning, before rocketing off to slam into the clone's grabbling with Stark and Levin, "You want to hurt somebody, try and hurt me!"
The clones largely ignored him, but the Prime and his original opponent dog-pilled him. The fire had more of an effect than blunt force but not deterring them much.
Quake turned to face her own clone, which was now covered in dust from its frantic rolling in the dirt. It paced towards her like an angry jungle cat before lunging.
Digging deep, she sent a violent quake towards it, surprised when it juddered to a halt and began writing on the ground, screaming to high hell.
Hitting it with the other hand, ignoring the strain, the creature's squeals quieted until it finally melted into a slightly twitching pile of ooze.
"They can't deal with Sonics!" Quake cried, darting towards the downed John who was feebly trying to get off his back.
"Friday, volume 20 if you would?" Tony joked, a sudden roar of music erupting from two speakers that emerged from the sides of his helmet. His Ravager stumbled backward, clutching its head, body bubbling and writhing.
Ben continued to struggle against his opponent's unable to shift his attention to changing his form as they continued to harry him, while Kevin was also still on the back foot.
Quake touched her hand to her nose, the blood quickly coating the tips of her fingers ("I'm already pushing my limits, but this needs to end. Now.")
Concentrating, fighting past the headache, ignoring the blood draining from both nostrils, and brought her hands together, a high-pitched whine building as a ball of invisible force formed between her hands. Her vision began to blur, her headache hitting a fever pitch as the sphere released, exploding outward. Tony's Ravager melted instantly, going with a scream, while Kevin's fought to get back to the Prime, falling apart as it went.
The remaining clone fell into a burning pile of slag as the Prime whirled, one claw clutching its head, second-skin writhing madly, the other claw lunging toward her as her vision blacked out for a second.
Another scream, this one more human, snapped her back, and as her vision focused, she saw Ravager, clutching a bleeding stump, a distinctively human forearm laying on the ground several feet in front of her.
Kevin stood there, a diamond blade dripping blood and slime as Ravager continued to rage and howl. A rocket fired over her head, colliding with the creatures chest and sending it soaring backward with a wave of concussive force. Ben followed up Tony's strike with several fireballs, pelting the creature even further away from Jacob's hiding place.
The creature, no person, horribly managed shell of a person, stumbled to a stop, their breathing ragged as Ben, Kevin, and Tony stalked towards it.
Snarling, a red light built up in the mouth, a beam of energy emerging, forcing them and Daisy to duck as it refracted off the diamond and peppered to the ground around them with craters.
When she looked back up, Ravager was gone. Kevin made to chase after him, only for Ben to hold him back.
"It's done." Ben muttered, "For now."
"Good," Tony stated, bending over, resting his arms on his knees, "Anyone else feels like they just got hit by a truck? It's not just me, right?"
"Fuck you, Stark," John grumbled, pushing himself into a sitting position. Ben and Kevin shared a look and slowly began to break down into a fit of relieved laughter. Daisy, despite everything, felt herself joining in before her vision blurred again, and she pitched to the side.
"Tremors!" was the last thing she heard as she lapsed into unconsciousness.

Edge of the Dome, October 14th, 5:38 PM EDT

The ride back to Dust Town had been uneventful but nerve-wracking as John could barely sit up straight, and Daisy's breathing had turned shallow. Again, Ben was amazed by the work the fourteen-year-old miracle that was Elixir could pull off. That had been a few hours ago, and the assembled party, plus Callisto and Jacob, were headed out of the Dome.
"Few more minutes, and we'll be at the checkpoint," Kevin stated, turning to look back at the others.
All shared tired smiles. Ben turned to look at Wasp, who was carrying the deeply sleeping Jacob.
She stopped walking as John reached her, "Hey, do you think you could take him? He's actually pretty heavy."
John stared down at her for a second, "I'm not sure. I don't know if he'd like waking up in my arms."
"Well, the idea is to have him wake up in his mom's." Wasp replied, "Please?"
John hesitated for a bit longer, "Alright, carefully now."
He bent down a bit to take Jacob from her, gently positioning the boy, so his head was rested on his shoulder. Ben smiled at the bemused expression on John's face as the young boy nestled even deeper into the man's shoulder and wrapped his arms tightly around his neck.
"See, I think he likes you just fine?" Wasp said with a smile as she shrunk and flitted up to rest on Daisy's shoulder, "Now, if you all don't mind, I'm going to take a nap of my own. Wake when we're back in the Tower."
"Sure thing Van Dyne," Daisy said, rolling her eyes, eliciting a smirk from Ben, who turned back to the head of the group.
They walked in silence for several moments before suddenly emerging into the orange-gold light of a setting sun.
"Here's where we take out leave." Callisto stated, turning to look at the Avengers and John, "Don't be strangers."
With that last bit of snark, she walked up to John, lifting her hand to gently stroke Jacob's hair, "You better do right on your promise to this one SHIELD. It's is literally the least you could do."
"I will." John stated, his eyes narrowing at the insult, "And a whole lot more than that."
"Good." she turned to the others, "Crusher, let's get back."
She looked at Kevin, who nodded at her, "Right, hold on a moment."
As the others kept walking on, he turned to Ben, though he noticed that Daisy was hanging back yet again.
"Keep up the good work, Tennyson," Levin stated, sticking his hand out for a shake.
"Is this goodbye?" Ben asked, taking his friend's hand.
"Hardly, but they need me here," Kevin remarked, looking over to where Callisto was waiting, "These people need someone looking out for them."
"You're not alone in that." Ben said, "I'll help whenever and however I can."
"So will I," Daisy stated, walking back into their conversation, ignoring the annoyed look Kevin shot her, "After all, looks like you're going to need me if we want to stop this 'Ravager' for good."
"Fair enough point." Kevin stated, "But if you wouldn't mind, this next part isn't for prying ears."
Daisy didn't say anything, just nodded and walked after Tony and John, Wasp tucked into the crook of her neck.
"She's trouble," Kevin muttered darkly.
"I know, but she saved our hides today." Ben remarked, watching her walk away, "Regardless, she's got a right to be suspicious."
Kevin grunted in agreement, "Listen, if you're out there playing the hero and you hear anything about Gwen, you let me know, okay?"
"Of course, take care of yourself, Levin," Ben said, pulling his friend into a tight hug.
"Right back at you, Tennyson." he returned before walking back to meet Callisto.
Ben turned, walking after the Avengers, a smile crossing his face as he saw Jacob's mother taking her lost son into her arms, joyous tears in her eyes.
Tony was off to the side talking with a hologram of Maria Hill, while Daisy was standing behind John with a big smile on her face.
"Thank you so much. I don't have to words to tell you how happy I am right now." the woman stated, staring up at John with tearful joy.
"Don't thank me," John stated, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably, gesturing over to Tony and back at Ben, Janet, and Daisy, "They did all the heavy lifting. Your son is safe because of them, not me."
"Bullshit," Tony remarked flatly, wincing as Cynthia covered the sleeping boy's ears, "Sorry."
Janet leaped off Daisy's shoulder and grew to her full size, "We all pulled out weight, John included."
"Then I stand by what I said, thank you." Cynthia stated, reaching up to cup the side of John's face, "Truly."
"I-I'm just glad that he's back with you," John muttered, slowly taking the woman's hand off his face.
"What your son can do is nothing short of incredible," Ben stated.
"Which is why he's got a ticket to Xavier's School." Tony stated, drawing Cynthia's attention, "Don't worry, you will both be able to live on Campus. The Professor should be contacting you within the next few days, right Hill?"
"Correct. Agent Stewart, Agent Johnson, Fury wants a full report by the end of the night." Hill stated, nodding to both of them before her hologram cut out.
"Have fun with that." Tony snarked, sticking his hand out for John to shake, "It was nice working with you, Agent Stewart. Who knows, you might be seeing a whole lot more of us."
"I-I'm not sure if that is a good thing," John said flatly.
"Probably not. After all, Dr. Banner will likely be along for the ride next time." Tony joked.
As John blanched, Tony moved on to talk with Cynthia, which ended with him handing her an unmarked check and saying whatever amount she wrote within reason Stark Industries would meet.
After that, Ben, Daisy, and Janet had said their goodbyes, leaving John and Cynthia standing with the still sleeping Jacob.
They had returned to the tower and gone about their separate business, Ben heating some food and eventually finding himself back atop the tower staring back out at the Dome.
"Up here again, huh?" Daisy asked as she emerged onto the terrace, dressed in a loose t-shirt and some sweat pants.
"Yep, you know, despite how chaotic all that was, I can't help but feel like today was a great day," Ben remarked as he sucked down a large bowl of ramen.
"Well, a great three days," Daisy remarked, joining him at the edge of the terrace and looking up at the darkening night sky.
"Fair point," Ben stated, looking up at her, "So I'm guessing you didn't come up here just to wax-poetic about being a hero, right?"
"You caught me." she snarked back, cautiously sitting down beside him, "Look, I know I'm prying, but it is literally in my job description to know what you might be up to, so who is Kevin Levin to you?"
He started at her for several moments, contemplating what to say, "He's a friend, an old one, we got caught up in the same mess, and that's how we both ended up in the situations you found us in, don't remember much more than that."
"Just a friend?" Daisy asked.
He shot her a confused look, "Yeah, just a friend, what else would he be?"
"Well, Tony had you pegged as ex-lovers," Daisy said flatly, causing Ben to inhale suddenly, choking on his food before letting out a hacking laugh that cleared his throat.
"Are you serious?"
"Deadly," Daisy responded, smiling genuinely.
"Yeah, nope." Ben responded, "Not that there's anything at all wrong with that, but yeah, no, we, uh, never dated. Never will date. Not my type."
"Good to know," Daisy said.
"What are you going to tell Fury that too?" Ben accused, causing Daisy to break out in a playful smirk.
"Maybe, maybe."

Elsewhere

Ravager stumbled through the rubble of the Bronz, clutching its arm stump, frantic and furious.
"Damn them." they growled, "They took so much from us. So hungry, so hungry."
It stopped as another amalgam crossed its path, freezing as well as it took in the partially human abomination.
Ravager lunged forward, grabbed it by the face with their remaining hand, and began to drain. Wounds closed, the second skin began to grow to cover more of their body, and suddenly a vision struck them.

A series of slapdash mechanical bodies hanging from conveyors that rotate above a strange, twitching partial cube of red-and-black ichor, which snapped upwards, growing a second skin over the bodies, which awoke as fresh amalgams and made their way out into the Dome.

Ravager snapped back to reality. Their hunger ignited once more, "We will be Whole, and then We will find those who ruined us and break them. Must find the rest of us!"
With that, the creature dropped to all fours and began racing through the shattered streets, searching for more amalgam, searching to be Whole.

Avenger's Tower, 11:45 PM EDT

Tony stretched and walked towards the elevator with his helmet beneath his arms, stopping as the doors revealed a wild-haired Bruce Banner and a pensive-looking Hank Pym.
"You two look like you've had fun." Tony snarked as they stepped off onto the landing.
"Add Tornados to the list of weather phenomena the Big Guy hates with a passion." Banner stated flatly as he made his way towards the kitchen.
"What happened?" Tony asked, turning back to Hank.
"We had a rather electrifying experience." Hank stated, eliciting a loud "Boo" from Banner as he went through the kitchen doors.
"Debrief over coffee tomorrow morning?" Tony asked, trading places with Hank in the Elevator.
"Sure, good night Tony," Pym stated, heading for the kitchen as well.
"Night, Hank."
As the door closed, the smile on Tony's face fell away as he reached towards the number panel and then placed his palm on the flat metal surface beneath it.
There was a flash as his flesh dissolved, revealing an intricate and futuristic metallic replacement that glowed as several key-holes emerged for him to put his fingers in. The reshaped and reformatted to meet the exact indentations of the keyholes, and the elevator began to move down, picking up speed, unnoticed by those outside before coming to a soft halt.
Tony stepped out of the elevator, walking toward an immense computer screen. Piles of history books, newspapers, pictures, and maps were stacked around the room while several holographic boards showed candid photos of numerous individuals.
Tony plopped into the seat that sat before the computer and booted it up with a wave of his hand, "Blue, I've got something new for you."
"What did you find?" a brusque voice asked as an image of a bald blue woman appeared on the screen, "Another anomaly?"
"You got it," Tony stated, plugging his helmet into the computer, all of Ben and Kevin's conversation downloading before his eyes as he opened up several other files.
"So, intruders from another universe, bringing their problems to us." the AI stated, "Wonderful."
"They have no idea who any of us are, where they are, or what's coming, which means any choices they make should continue altering the time-line," Tony remarked, as he sifted all information he'd learned about Ben into his previously made file, and added one for Kevin.
"And you still think that is a good thing?" the AI asked.
"Yes, we stay on course, we prepare, we find more anomalous people, and the Snap never happens." Tony stated, "So is the hope."
"So is the hope." the AI repeated, "What about this, Gwen?"
"Seems to me like whatever thing is riding around in her body just handed us quite a few new fighters for if and when Grimmus ever comes calling," Tony remarked.
"So it's a good thing the Bronx got devastated? Is that what you're trying to say." the AI demanded.
"No, we're going to help those people, help everyone we can, stop every villain that pops up, those we know and those we don't, and we're going to make sure the Infinity Stones never see the light. Of the day." Tony stated, "We can't go down that road again."
"Like you keep saying, and yet here we sit in Avengers Tower, with you once again an Avenger."
Tony turned from the computer and stared at the images hanging on the wall, his eyes drawn immediately to Pepper and then Peter Parker. Two people who he would never involve in his life again. Fury hadn't known it, but he had tried too hard to make sure the initial Avengers failed, every death, every injury from that day was a black mark on his conscience, but it was better than the alternative.
He tensed at the memory of Pepper's voice in his ears as he left for Titan, Peter turning to dust in his arms.
"I don't want to go. Mr. Stark, I don't want to go."
That would never happen. Not after everything Tony had sacrificed to get here, he would never watch that young man die. He would never sit on an alien world, damn near alone wondering if everyone he ever cared about was dead.
He stared down at his robotic arm, the ghost pains of his thumb and middle finger-snapping still burned into his body's memory.
Every anomaly he found was a blessing, the fact that things would not be like they were before. Gotham's Knight, Smallville's Angel, The Goddess of the World Wars, The Division of Japan, The Mutants, and now Benjamin Tennyson and his enemies from an entirely different universe, where the Snap had never happened, never could have happened.
"We're not going to Avenge the world this time," Tony muttered, turning back to the screen, and bringing up files on numerous super-powered individuals, "We're going to save it."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The Bus, Central City Airspace, October 11th, 1:33 PM EDT

Banner fidgeted slightly as the carrier plane he was seated in shook with a shock of turbulence. He focused on slowing his breathing, focusing on the faces around him. Coulson smiled placidly, seemingly unmoved by the plane's sudden jittering. He was dressed in his usual three-piece business suit, a pair of sunglasses over his eyes, and an immaculate black tie around his neck. Across from Banner, the familiar faces of Leopold Fitz and Jemma Simmons were scrunched in concentration. The former was tinkering with a small drone, pausing with every shake of the plane before going back to work, Jemma meanwhile, was watching Bruce. There was a bit of tension in her face, but he did his best to break the tension with a nervous smile of his own.
He'd known the two of them the longest. In fact, they'd recruited him to the Avengers several years back, the first iteration.
His eyes tracked over to the last of Coulson's team members, excluding the Bus's pilot, Agent May. Grant Ward stared back at him with hard eyes that clearly read that the brusque martially minded Agent didn't trust Banner. He was used to those kinds of looks, they didn't bother him much anymore, but there was something darker in Ward's expression that uneased him.
Hank, meanwhile, was oblivious to it all, tinkering with his helmet and muttering to himself softly.
Tiring of the quiet, Bruce turned to Coulson, "So can we get a rundown of what we need to expect?"
"May's bringing us down. Once we land, I'll brief everyone." the senior agent responded.
"Personal opinion on what to expect then?" Banner pressed.
"I don't believe in coincidence." Coulson stated, "Central City is connected to the Dome somehow, and it might be more dangerous."
"How?" Hank spoke up, looking up from his helmet for the first time since they'd boarded the Bus.
"The Dome for all the mess it's caused is visible. We have an area that can be observed, contained. Whatever might be happening here in Central City doesn't have that leisure." Coulson stated, as with one final rumble, the Bus came to a stop.
Several moments later, the severe second command of Coulson's team appeared, "I've put us down at the main airfield. The CCPD has been informed of our arrival and is willing to cooperate as required with our investigation."
"Very good, alright people, three months ago the Dome emerged consuming much of the Bronx in a wave of permeable energy and captured the attention of much of the world," Coulson said as he stood up, the table in the center of the room revealing several holographic images.
"That same night, the STAR Labs Particle Accelerator malfunctioned." he continued, a video showing a vibrant mushroom cloud bursting from within the heart of the circular STAR Labs building.
"An energy wave encompassed the entirety of Central City, knocking out power through much of the city." May picked up, gesturing to several other screens, "Reports claim numerous citizens received minor injuries, as well as the mysterious disappearances of a number of individuals including master physicist Martin Stein, who is believed to have been visiting the Lab during the detonation. Only one death has been reported, Ronald Raymond, the accelerator's structural engineer. He was reportedly killed trying to contain the blast."
"Other anomalies seemingly tied to the Particle Accelerator Explosion include the crash of a small two-person plane, though no bodies were recovered and a lightning bolt striking CCPD's own Barry Allen, who was in a coma for the last few months before waking up around a week ago," Coulson stated.
"We, with the help of Doctors Banner and Pym, will be investigating Star Labs, as well as interviewing the CCPD, the remaining Star Labs employees, and Barry Allen about the events of that night." May finished.
"What are we expecting to find?" Banner asked.
"The cause of the blast, if there is any connection with the Dome, and if we have to worry about another Meta Emergence Event," Coulson informed.
A roar of thunder punctuated his sentence, causing the assembled heroes to look upward.
"Another clue that things have gone sideways since the explosion is the weather." Simmons stated, "Flooding has been to a minimum, but the weather has remained in a constant state of rain and thunderstorms since the event."
"If we do find an Enhanced to be to blame, sir, what are the terms of engagement?" Ward asked, sitting forward.
"Same as the Dome, we approach peacefully, try and build rapport, calm them down and aid them as is necessary or possible, if they become hostile, ICERS only," Coulson stated.
"I would rather weapons weren't required at all," Hank noted, his face contorting slightly at the mention of the modified firearms.
"As do I, Doctor, but we must be prepared for the possibility." Coulson returned.
"Is that why I'm here, Agent?" Banner asked, watching Ward tense slightly even as his eyes burrowed into Coulson.
"No, Bruce, you're here because we need someone familiar with mutagenic compounds and the effects of latent radiation." Fitz offered, tossing him a gadget, "I'm a tech whiz, and Jemma is a wonder at biochemistry, but very few people understand radiation as you do."
Banner smirked softly as he turned the small scanner over in his hands, "Well, if we're dealing with a particle accelerator explosion, it is likely that the energy signature left behind would be tied to dark matter exposure."
He fiddled with the machine for a moment, and the machine immediately began to beep a frantic staccato, "I'm guessing that's bad?"
Fitz blanched, "Well, it's certainly not good."
Following the discovery of the dark matter that seemed to have seeped through every crack of Central City, the party had headed straight for Star Labs. The circular building vaguely resembled a football stadium, with three glass towers rose from it. Roof panels, sides of the building, and a portion of one of the towers had been ripped away, exposing the metal superstructure underneath.
Hank stared up at the damage with a bit of surprise, "You'd think they would have started on fixing the damage at this point. It's been several months."
"Most contractors are too afraid of becoming 'Muties,' it would seem." a calm but snarky voice stated. Hank turned, spotting the speaker, a dark-haired man with piercing blue eyes behind thick-rimmed glasses. He dressed in dark clothing and looked up at the party from his motorized wheelchair, which weaved towards them across the crack-ridden parking lot.
"But there have been no reported instances of Mutation, and if the accelerator had effected the city, they would be Metahumans." Simmons rattled off absentmindedly, at which the man smiled.
"Correct, but bigotry is powerful if utterly idiotic motivator for some individuals," he stated, reaching out a hand for Coulson to shake, "But we've skipped past introductions, my name is Professor Harrison Wells, welcome to STAR Labs or what remains of it at least."
"Agent Phil Coulson," the Agent stated, taking the other man's hand with his usual disarming smile, "The others are Agents Melinda May, Jemma Simmons, Leopold Fitz, and Grant Ward. Thank you for cooperating with our investigation."
"Of course," Wells stated, nodding to the others as he turned to look at Hank and Bruce, "Good to see you again, Dr. Pym."
Hank smiled slightly. He'd worked alongside Wells in the past, endeavoring to discover new sources of clean energy production, though he had not seen the man since the car crash that had left him crippled and taken his wife several years ago.
"Good to see you as well," Hank stated, taking the man's outstretched hand with gusto.
Wells turned to look at Banner, who sheepishly extended his own hand, "And you are…."
"Uh, Bruce Banner." the curly-haired man muttered, with a shy smile as Wells' eyes widened.
"They're both here to study any radiation left over from the explosion, Doctor." Coulson offered, "Nothing more."
"You've got your work cut out for you then." Wells noted, turning around, "Come with me. My Team is currently working on that exact mystery."
He led the party inside the building, which was much more pristine on the inside. They weaved down several hallways until reaching a central room. A large set of computer consuls sat before the door while several more monitors covered the walls. Off to the one-side sat a small medical lab, while a small lounge area was set up on the other side.
Hank noted that an anomalous wind had kicked up several papers as they entered the room. A young woman with bright auburn hair and pale skin moved about, picking them up, while a shorter young man with long flowing black hair and tanned skin looked up with a hint of nervousness in his deep brown eyes. The woman looked up, revealing similarly shaded eyes and a bright smile as she placed the papers back on the desk.
"Let me introduce you to Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon." Wells stated, "My assistants, chief bioengineer and mechanical engineer respectively."
"Hello." Caitlin said, with an even more vibrant smile, while Cisco simply gave them all a lazy wave, "Yo."
"Wonderful to meet you," Hank stated, cutting across Wells as he jutted his hand out to shake Caitlin's, "I believe I read your dissertation, The Different Causes, and Biologies of Mutants vs. Metahumans. It was a compelling read, amazingly well informed and objective."
Caitlin looked slightly taken aback, blinking several times before taking his hand, "I thank you, Dr. Pym, that means quite a bit coming from you."
"So a couple of SHIELD agents, the Ant-Guy, and Bruce Banner," Cisco stated, eying the assembled group suspiciously, "What can we do you for?"
"We're here to study the particle accelerator, Ramon," Fitz stated, cutting across Coulson this time to the latter's confusion.
"Well, that's pretty clear, Leo." Cisco fired back, "I was wondering what you were looking for exactly."
Hank shared a surprised look with Bruce, who sighed softly and moved around the assembled agents, and began looking about the room.
"Ramon, what's with the hostility?" Wells asked, looking over his glasses at the young engineer.
"Took the words right out of my mouth," Coulson asked, looking at Fitz with raised eyebrows.
The two younger men continued to glare at each other before Simmons spoke up, "They're PRF rivals, sir."
"What rivals?" Coulson asked.
"Professional Robot Fighters." Simmons supplied.
"Really, we're doing ego-drama about something you two did in High School." May deadpanned.
"We were in the SHIELD Academy, thank you," Fitz stated, opening his mouth only to be cowed by the sharp look May sent his way. She then turned her eyes on Cisco, who writhed in his seat a little bit.
"I was a SHIELD recruit, but I decided working for big government wasn't my thing," Cisco muttered, "Joined up with STAR Labs not long."
"Right, so this little history lesson has been all well and good, but I feel like we've gotten off track." Banner stated, standing in the center of the room, rubbing the back of his neck as all eyes turned to look at him.
"Correct, so can the three of you tell us what happened that night?" Coulson asked, looking between Wells and his employees.
Hank watched each of their reactions closely, hunting for micro-expressions. Cisco's eye twitched slightly as he turned to face the computers. Well's lips pursed close though an odd light filled his eyes, and Caitlin seemed to fold in herself, her bright smile fading slightly.
"Everything was going according to plan." Cisco began, pulling up several images that showed the energy build-up of the accelerator, "And then out of nowhere it wasn't."
"The energy began to cascade, building to levels that shouldn't even be possible." he continued, as the bars began to peek frantically, and a graph showing the build-up plateaued and then went off the chart."
"The building should have exploded, but the structural engineer, Ronnie, was able to vent the excess energy out of the building." Cisco finished, though Hank noted that at the mention of the deceased individual's name, the young engineer bent into himself while Caitlin began rubbing what appeared to be an engagement ring.
"We knew that there was likely going to be consequences, but it was better than the building exploding and likely taking a few blocks with it," Wells stated, shame written across his face, though it didn't seem to reach his eyes.
"The release of the energy cascade has saturated the city with dark matter, but I'm sure you are aware of that fact." Banner noted.
"We're aware, yes, we're just not sure what effects it could have overall." Caitlin stated, "I've collected biological samples from across the city. After hearing about the Dome, we began to worry that something similar could begin to manifest."
"Would you mind if I took a look?" Simmons offered, "I don't doubt your ability, but two heads are always better than one."
"Of course." Ms. Snow stated, walking towards the medical lab with Agent Simmons in tow.
"I've set up scanners to monitor any anomalies in the spread of dark matter, but it seems like it's bleeding off at a relatively regular rate." Cisco offered Fitz, coming forward wordlessly, plugging his drone into the console, a similar series of graphs and calculations appearing.
"It seems to be on a steady decline." the latter noted, "Unlike the Dome, though the composition of the energy dispersed across the city actually matches one of the anomalous energy readings we've been getting from anomaly's composition."
"I thought the Dome wasn't decaying?" Cisco asked, looking over at the graphs Fitz had brought up.
"It isn't, but if the energy dispersed here is the same as one of the Dome's building blocks, then it should be," Fitz stated.
"There's Gamma and Terrigen mixed in as well, right?" Cisco muttered aloud.
"Yes, Simmons is at the forefront of research into the latter, and it dissipates the quickest according to previous interactions, and Dr. Banner here has agreed that Gamma has a bleed off as well." Fitz stated, "Which means…."
"There's still a missing piece." Cisco finished, "Well, if that is the case, then maybe we could devise some kind of siphon or scanner to pick out whatever remains."
Cisco and Fitz began to go back and forth. At the same time, Banner had wandered off to listen to Caitlin speak about the biological samples recovered, leaving Hank with Wells, Coulson, and the brusque May and disinterested Agent Ward.
"Has anyone been inside the accelerator since the explosion?" Hank asked, turning to Wells.
"No, the radiation levels inside read much too high for someone to approach, let alone enter safely." Wells stated, "But I welcome you to look around the rest of the facility."
"Right, Hank, stay here with Fitzsimmons and search the building for anything of note." Coulson stated, "Doctor Banner!"
"Hmm?" the man asked, poking his head around the corner.
"Would you be willing to come with us to interview Mr. Allen at CCPD?" Coulson asked.
Hank watched as Cisco and Wells tensed slightly at the mention of the young man's name, while out of the corner of his eye, he watched Ms. Snow do the same. It was the briefest of pauses, but Hank knew that if he caught them Coulson, and May likely would have as well.
Banner sighed softly, "Alright, just for the record, the police and the Big Guy don't exactly get along well."
"Noted, but you are one of the view people that we have access to that comes close to the experience Mr. Allen went through. Outside of Mr. Tennyson."
"Doubt he'd have come along even if they'd asked," Banner muttered as he walked past Hank.
Pym nodded in agreement with those words before taking one final look around the room. Nothing particularly stood out, but as he slipped his helmet onto his head, he began to pick up the faintest of signals, coming from deeper in the facility. As Wells turned to listen to Fitz and Cisco bounce off each other, he shrunk down and leaped for the nearest air-vent, the signal growing stronger as he slid down the metallic shaft.

CCPD was abuzz with frantic activity, police officers of all stripes going about their business, pulling in perps, heading out into the city, or taking statements from numerous individuals. Banner was ill-at-ease in this place, but no one seemed to be focusing on him for the moment. Instead, their eyes were all trained on the three SHIELD agents, two of whom had visible weapons on their person.
They'd been brought aside to speak with Detective Joe West, who had something of a familial connection with Allen, and who had been the first to find him following the incident.
Joe West was an African-American man around Coulson's age, with a deep combination of worry and laugh lines crossing his goateed face. He had a friendly but commanding demeanor that Banner recognized as the persona Ross had tried to portray, but West was the real deal.
His younger partner Eddie Thawne sat off to the side, looking more than a little excited at the prospect of several SHIELD agents visiting his partner.
"Thank you for taking the time to sit down and talk with us, Detective West," Coulson stated, sitting down in a seat across from West, who was leaning back in the chair behind his desk. Ward was leaning against the back wall while Banner had taken a seat at the side table with Eddie. May was seated next to Coulson, a critical eye scanning over every inch of the room.
"Of course, it's not every day that SHIELD comes calling." West said with a smile, "Anyway, I can help, I will."
"Would you mind telling us anything you remember from the night of the Particle Accelerator Explosion?" Coulson asked.
West let out a low whistle, rubbing the back of his head, "Well, it was pouring down ran, even harder than it is now honestly, but a calm night regardless. I was doing paperwork when suddenly I felt the ground beneath my feet shake, followed by an immense explosion. Then every light in the precinct went out. I got up to go outside, see what was going on, just like Eddie and several other officers were moving to do, when I heard glass shatter upstairs followed by the loudest crack of thunder I've ever heard in my entire life. I raced upstairs and found Barry lying on one of his chemical wracks, glass covering his body, some pieces embedded in his neck and chest, barely breathing, rain pouring down from a hole in the roof."
"What was Barry doing that night?" May asked.
"He'd just gotten back from Gotham, had been visiting his friends." Joe stated, "Came back to the precinct and went up to his office. Nothing out of the ordinary, and then he gets struck by lightning! I thought he was a goner, he was so unresponsive, but some of the folks working at Star Labs came by and asked for him to be moved to their Lab."
That drew Banner's interest, while Coulson and May shared a look.
"Do you have any idea why they would do that?" Coulson asked.
"Wells, the head of the Lab, said he felt guilty about what had happened, though his folks' equipment could bring him back." West stated, "Turned out he was right."
"Is Mr. Allen here?" Coulson asked.
"He went out for lunch not that long ago, but he should be back soon," West noted.
"Has he been acting any different?" Banner asked, sitting forward, "Since waking up from the accident?"
West gave him a look that said he almost recognized him but shrugged it off and answered the question, "Nothing major, bit more fidgety, hungrier, the most startling change is he's actually been showing up to work and other places on time. Like he's got some new pep in his step."
"Would you mind if we looked around his office?" Coulson asked.
"What for?" West asked, his eyes narrowingly slightly.
"He's not in any trouble." Coulson stated, raising his hands placatingly, "We just need to cover all our bases."
"All right," West stated, leading them upstairs. Banner stood up, Eddie gesturing for him to hold on a moment.
"I know who you are," Eddie stated, looking Banner over. Bruce looked back at him, slightly anxious at what direction this conversation could go.
"Oh?" he queried.
"Yeah, Bruce Banner." Eddie affirmed, reaching behind his back, "Could I get your autograph?"
Ward cracked a smile as he left the room while Coulson chuckled slightly at the befuddled expression that crossed Bruce's face.
"Uh, sure."
Several moments later, Joe had led Banner and the Agents upstairs and opened a sliding metal door to reveal a forensics lab. Several shelves were haphazardly stocked with different chemical beakers, overly stuffed filing cabinets were strewn about the room. At the same time, a worn desk with a relatively new computer sat before the slightly grimy windows that looked out across the cityscape. A large whiteboard stood next to the desk, a map of Central City hanging down over it.
"He should be back soon. Just try not to move stuff around too much." West advised, "He's kind of particular about his space."
With that, he walked away, leaving Banner standing with the Agents that immediately spread about the room. Coulson began examining the map. Ward thumbed through several files while May walked over to the computer and began tapping away at the keys.
Banner looked at the beakers, wincing at the haphazard and arguably unsafe storage system.
"His desktop is open, nothing overtly suspicious, but there are files here that are password locked," May stated.
"Let me." Banner stated, walking up and quickly taking in the situation.
"You're a hacker?" Ward asked, looking up from the file he was thumbing through.
"Not as good as Stark, probably not even as good as Agent Johnson," Banner muttered, as he typed away at the keys, "But a person can pick up a few unusual skills when they're on the run."
He cracked his way into the files a few seconds later, revealing a series of investigations into something called the 'Centipede Link.'
"Centipede," May stated, shooting Coulson a knowing look, the lead agent winced, before pulling on a drawstring to reveal that the whiteboard was covered in newspaper clippings, blurry images of locations around the city, anonymous photos of numerous individuals, and police reports. Thumb-tacks linked with string joined several pieces of the collected evidence back to a single aged newspaper clipping.
It read, 'Nora Allen found murdered in her own home, husband convicted of first-degree murder."
"Looks like Mr. Allen never gave up on the investigation of his Mother's death," Coulson stated, his eyes darting across the cobbled-together canvas.
"This isn't an investigation," Banner muttered, walking towards the board, "It's an obsession."

Hank emerged air-ducts deep within the basement of Star Labs. Taking a look around, he realized that he was within spitting distance of the door that appeared to lead within the Particle Accelerator. Quickly activating his suit's protections against Radiation, he pulled out Fitz's scanning device and tested their air. The machine began to ping frantically, though Pym noticed that the readings appeared to be slightly off. However, the signal he had been picking up drew him away from the door, deeper into the basement. Staring about, he began to notice a series of scorch marks marring the walls as he continued. Looking closer, he found a water pipe that appeared to have been sheared open, though it had been broken into looked as though it had been melted. He continued walking, his feet splashing through the stagnant water, growing further and further on edge as the damage continued to worsen. He saw a flash of movement and whirled, shrinking as he did so, only to realize it was nothing but a door teetering on its hinges as if someone had just brushed by it.
Walking cautiously, Pym shrunk down and darted beneath the door. Looking around, he didn't spot anyone, but what he did see confused him. Several small cages lined the walls, all empty, some with the doors ripped fully off the hinges, others looking like they were slightly ajar.
The true eye-grabber was the large paddock at the back of the room, a tire-swing, climbing wall, and a small pool set into the concrete walls, and floor the latter of which was covered in straw. Three large glass partitions separated it from the rest of this small lab. However, the central panel was shattered into hundreds of glass shards sprinkled across the floor, lab tables, and several broken computer monitors.
Hank increased in size, taking several steps towards the enclosure, and looked down as he stepped on something metallic. It was a metal nameplate that read, "Grodd."
Hank bent to pick it up and looked around to find the source of the weak signal, his eyes falling on an ant-farm resting on one of the upper shelves.
Peering inside, he noticed the top had been pried off by something, all of the ants missing except one, a black ant about the size of a hissing cockroach, that looked up at him as he got closer.
The source of the signal.
"Hello." Ant-Man thought, sending out a greeting to the ant using his helmet. The Ant returned his greeting, though he could tell the little creature was on the verge of starvation.
Reaching up, Hank removed the farm from its perch, holding up his hand for the ant to squeeze its way out and into his palm. Reaching into a pouch on his side, he pulled out two small bottles, one filled with properly sized food pellets, the other filled with water. Setting the overly-large ant down, he poured a bit of food onto the table and then filled the cap of the food bottle with water and set it down before the creature.
It trilled with joy and began to eat, drawing a soft smile from Hank as he set the now empty ant farm back where it was. However, he heard a click as he did so, and the entire self swung open as if on a hinge.
Covering the still eating ant with his hand to protect it if something went awry, he reached up with his other hand to open the panel. Inside he found a small journal and an eerie mechanical mechanism that resembled a centipede filled with glowing orange liquid.
"Well, this is troubling, isn't it, my little friend," Pym muttered to himself as he reached in to draw out the mechanism.
"Dr. Pym?" a voice asked, causing him to freeze. He turned and spotted Ms. Snow peering at him cagily, "What are you doing down here?"
Pym noticed the nervousness in her voice and saw her once more begin rubbing her fingers along her engagement ring.
"Bit of investigative exploration." Pym stated flatly, "Though I didn't expect to find this, after all, I didn't know STAR Labs approved of animal experimentation."
He held up the oversized ant, which turned to look at Caitlin with a curious chitter. Caitlin looked at it surprised, allowing him to slide the journal out from behind the open-backed cabinet and slide it behind his back.
"So, would you like to tell me exactly what was going on down her Caitlin?" Hank asked seriously, watching her deflate slightly.
"That's a bit of a long story," she muttered, staring around the room slightly crest-fallen.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Central City Police Department, 2:33 EDT

Barry backed his way into the precinct with four bulging bags from Big Belly Burger in hand, a sheepish smile on his face as many of the assembled officers turned and gave him questioning looks.
He walked quickly towards the stair leading up to his office, getting halfway up when a voice stopped him.
"Barry."
He turned to spot Joe making his way up the stairs towards him with a tense look in his eyes.
"Hey Joe, I know I'm late," Barry stated, going to scratch his head and almost spilling the bags of food across the steps before catching himself.
"But I've just been so hungry lately, and they had a bunch of new stuff on the menu, so I decided to grab two of everything just to try it." he rambled on, Joe reaching him with an exasperated sigh, "Here's your food by the way."
He held out the smallest bag towards Joe, who took it and began to talk only for Barry to interrupt him once more.
"Look, if Singh is upset, I promise this wasn't me slipping back into my old habits." he dug a burger out of one of the bags and, after pulling a bit of the wrapper away with his teeth, began eating.
He continued walking up the steps to his office, Joe tailing him.
"Barry, I need to tell you something," Joe said earnestly.
"Aright, just wait till I put this stuff on my desk," Barry muttered around a mouthful of food as he finished the first burger in three bites, then dug out another.
He continued forward, unconsciously shrugging away from the hand Joe placed on his shoulder, turning around as he did so.
"Come on, Joe, just let me set this stuff down, then we can talk. It can't be that urgent, can you take it?" he placed the burger into his mouth and whirled around, freezing at the sight of several strangers staring back at him.
A friendly, older balding man stood alongside a curly-haired man in worn clothes next to his whiteboard. The map, thankfully, was drawn down over it.
A harsh-faced woman was standing next to his computer, an eyebrow rising slowly.
A handsome man with intense eyes and a rather visible gun on his hip was shooting him a sardonic smirk from beside his filing cabinets.
"Barry Allen, I presume?" the older man asked with a genuine smile.
Barry quickly placed the bags down atop an empty shelf, pulled the burger from his mouth, and frantically swallowed the enormous bite he'd taken before answering.
"Uh, yeah, yeah, that's me." Barry stammered, "I'm sorry, but who are you?"
"My name is Agent Phil Coulson," the older man said before gesturing to his companions, "This is Agent May and Agent Ward. We're-"
"SHIELD agents." Barry interrupted, pointing with the burger at the curly-haired man, "You're Bruce Banner."
"What is with people recognizing me in this city?" Banner muttered more to himself than the room, eliciting a soft smirk from Coulson.
"What can I help you guys with?" Barry asked, his eyes flicking to May and Ward before returning to Coulson.
"We are investigating the Incident at Star Labs." Coulson offered helpfully, "We were informed that you were one of the individuals that were directly affected by the particle accelerator explosion. Getting struck by lightning and making a full recovery, that's no small feat."
"I mean, being laid up in a coma for several months isn't really walking away." Barry remarked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, "I got lucky. The people at Star Labs were a big help."
"We heard they had a hand in your recovery. Any reason behind that?" May asked.
"Guilt, maybe." Barry offered, "I don't know if they did anything special. I just remember waking up in their lab."
"Interesting," Coulson remarked.
"Have you noticed any changes, anything out of the ordinary since waking up from your coma?" Banner asked, taking a step forward, "Believe me, an event like that changes people. Even if they don't realize it at first."
Barry turned, looking at Banner head-on, remembering the video that came out of the Battle of New York and even before that. This small, admittedly meek-looking man had one hell of an alter-ego.
"I've just been hungrier than normal." Barry lied, the same lie he'd handed out to every person in his life, so giving it to a group of strangers and one admittedly admirable hero didn't even bring out a flinch of guilt.
"What about around the city?" Coulson asked, offering the question to the silent Joe as well, "Any odd occurrences or supposed crank calls being reported to your department?"
"Other than people claiming to spot Bigfoot in the forest and Chitauri hiding in the sewers, not much else in that department as of late," Joe admitted flatly, earning a chuckle from Ward.
"Something that we've been dealing with for a while is Centipede," Barry stated, rushing towards his computer and bringing up several files, "Gangers getting access to some bizarre tech and enhancements, it's been more than a handful for the police to take care of."
"Centipede is already on SHIELD's radar, and while we're in the city, we will do our part in helping your department with that particular issue," May stated.
"Our first order of business, however, is the aftermath of the Star Labs Incident." Coulson stated, "After the Dome's emergence in the Bronx, we are not taking chances when it comes to mutagenic compounds being exposed to the public."
"Mutagenic compounds?" Joe asked, confused.
"Our team has found similarities between energies in the Dome and the dark matter that was dispersed when the particle accelerator went up." Ward stated flatly, "Your department should be on the lookout just in case. Better to be prepared."
"SHIELD thinks that what happened at Star Labs was an attempt at creating another Dome?" Barry asked, turning away from his computer and giving the assembled agents a piercing look.
"We're not sure." Coulson answered, seemingly honestly, "But to ere on the side of caution is always the better option.
"We will be continuing our investigation. Thank you for your time," Coulson stated, putting his hand out for Barry to shake, "If anything catches your radar, don't be afraid to get in contact with us, some of us will be at Star Labs for the entirety of our mission."
"O-of course," Barry said, shaking Coulson's hand, a snap of electricity firing between them. Barry flinched slightly, Coulson just looking mildly surprised.
"Sorry, static electricity and I go hand and hand anymore," Barry said with a sheepish laugh.
"No worries," Coulson stated, turning away and walking to Joe, "We'll be in touch if we find anything your precinct should be aware of."
"Thank you," Joe stated, shaking Coulson's hand as well.
The rest of the Agents filed out of the room after Coulson departed, leaving Banner and Barry alone in the room.
"So, struck by a dark matter-infused lightning bolt, and you got nothing out of it?" Banner asked with a nervous smile.
"Yep." Barry lied, chuckling slightly.
"Huh, you really are lucky then." the other man stated as he turned to leave, "Nice meeting you, Barry."
"You too, Dr. Banner," Barry stated. The other man gave a lazy wave and then finally followed after the SHIELD agents. Once Barry was certain all eyes were off him, he let a rush of air escape his body as he nearly bent over from the stress of having to lie to several government agents and the Hulk.

"So what were you doing down here, Dr. Snow," Pym asked, giving her a cautious look.
"Nothing illegal, I assure you," she stated emphatically, "All of the animals we had here were former test subjects. Dr. Wells wanted to care for them the best way he knew how and discover if any had been done irreparable harm or if their tests would make them a danger to others if they were given over to a kennel or wildlife sanctuary."
"Admirable." Hank stated with a genuine smile, "What happened after the particle accelerator explosion."
Caitlin's face shifted into deep and honest distress, "We came down here as quickly as we could following the explosion. Many of the animals were injured, others were missing, they might have passed in the blast or escaped, others didn't make it despite our best efforts…."
Hank saw tears brimming in her eyes, reaching forward and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, "I did mean to cause you distress. I'm sorry."
She smiled up at him, wiping the tears from her eyes, "Thank you. It's just...hard, they suffered so much, and then we couldn't even help them in the end."
She hugged herself as she looked around the room, "Those that we could take care of, we sent to shelters that could better care for them."
"Good, I'm sure they are happier for it," Hank stated, taking one final look back towards the false cabinet, "Let's go, no reason to stay somewhere that drags out so many bad memories."
Dr. Snow nodded thankfully and headed out the door with Hank and his new companion right behind her. They passed the door to the particle accelerator once more, and Hank froze as his helmet picked up the energy signals coming from within.
"Dr. Pym?" Caitlin asked, noticing his sudden halt.
"Has anyone been within the accelerator's pipeline since the explosion?" Pym asked, continuing to stare at the door, listening to the signal intently.
"No, the energy readings show that while the energy within is contained, it is still plateauing far beyond safe levels. Dr. Wells states that if the readings are correct, anyone to enter would be dead in under a minute," she remarked.
"Unfortunate," Pym muttered, giving the door one last look, before following Dr. Snow back to the main levels of the lab.
Later that night, he and Bruce were sharing a small hotel room while the Agents consolidated their findings for the day.
"How did your interview with Mr. Allen go?" Hank asked, fiddling with his helmet as Bruce typed away at a relatively beat-up laptop.
"He seemed nervous, appreciative of Star Labs for helping him, claiming the only event since his change is increased hunger." Banner stated, "Coulson and the others dug around his office before he showed up."
"What did they find?" Hank asked.
"A whiteboard covered in newspaper clippings, images, police statements, and the like, all seemingly connected to the murder of his mother when he was a child," Bruce stated, looking up from his laptop, "He is convinced of his father's innocence."
Hank was quiet for a moment, "Was that all?"
"No, it appears he's been investigating Centipede. They've been selling to people within the city," Bruce stated.
"Well, there's an unexpected connection," Hank stated, looking up from his work finally.
"What do you mean?" Bruce asked.
"While I was investigating the Star Labs building, I discovered an underground veterinarian clinic of sorts, all of the animals were missing, except this little one." Hank began to explain, drawing the oversized ant from a pouch on his side. It turned around in his hands to look at Bruce, who stared at it flatly.
"How does an ant of unusual size tie to Centipede?" Bruce asked flatly, looking up at Hank, who smiled slightly.
"I'm getting to that." Hank stated, "This slightly mutated fellow is what brought me down there in the first place, but during my investigations, I discovered a false wall, with a Centipede Device and a small journal inside."
"Did you take them?" Bruce asked.
"Dr. Snow arrived before I could shrink the device and store it, but I did manage to secret the journal away," Hank stated.
"So someone at Star Labs was part of the cabal or the very least experimenting with their technology." Bruce stated, "Snow?"
"Unlikely, she doesn't seem the type." Hank said, "She stated that she and Dr. Wells were working on rehabilitating animals used for scientific experimentation, and from my previous interactions with the man, he doesn't seem the type to do such a thing either. That being said, there could have been other members on staff that dealt with the animals or at least worked in that lab that we do not know about at this moment in time."
"What happened to the animals?" Bruce asked, "If the lab were underground, it would have been nearer to the particle accelerator."
"Deceased, missing, or moved to an animal sanctuary for better care." Hank informed, "Dr. Snow seemed very broken up about the entire situation."
"Likelihood of possible mutation?" Bruce asked, nodding at the ant that had now crawled up Pym's arm.
"Uncertain, when I inform Coulson of my findings, I will ask him to send someone from the Zoo to keep watch on the situation," Hank stated.
"So what about the journal?" Bruce asked, "Anything in there give us a clue to what we are up against?"
"That's the troubling part," Hank stated, drawing the journal out of his pockets, "I can't read it nor can Tony's decryption software."
"Is it a code?" Bruce asked, leaning forward as Hank opened the journal.
"No, it appears to be a language I have never seen before," Hank stated, handing the book over to the other scientist.
The writing was a series of glyphs and runes that didn't even appear to have any congruent connection to the current alphabet.
"It looks vaguely Sumerian." Bruce stated, peering at it intensely, "But there are distinct differences."
He handed the journal back to Hank, who shook his head and steepled his fingers before his face as he sat forward.
"Something is happening here that we have barely scratched the surface of, but I'm starting to think that the timing of the incident and the Dome might actually have been a perfectly timed coincidence," Hank stated.
"What makes you think that?" Bruce asked.
"A hunch," Pym stated, going back to tinkering with his helmet, "One that I will be testing tomorrow."
"Will it test the already fraying hold I've got on my emotions?" Bruce asked as he turned back to his laptop.
"Maybe," he replied unhelpfully with a small smile.
"Perfect." Bruce deadpanned.

Bruce had slept rather peacefully for about three hours. He'd spent most of the night looking into the murder of Nora Allen, the pasts of everyone involved with the Star Labs incident, and the trial of Henry Allen, seeking any information that could help with the mission he was on. He spotted a strange streak of light out his window, followed by a crack of thunder that shook the building hard enough to make the lights flicker, and had decided that was the time to call it a night.
Now he was dead tired, holding a cup of black coffee in his hands and listening to Fitzsimmons banter off each other and Coulson. May and Ward had left earlier than everyone else to scout about town searching for anything odd or clue towards Centipede's activities. Hank was still tinkering with his helmet and mumbling to his new oversized ant friend, which had elicited a hilarious scream from Fitz when it had emerged from within his stack of pancakes.
"I'm not scared of insects." Fitz stated for what must have been the tenth time, "Let alone ants. You'd scream too if something like that had come out of your food."
"I don't know, Fitz. You scare pretty easily." Simmons teased, looking over at Bruce. She stared at him thoughtfully, unconsciously moving a bit of hair out of her eyes.
Bruce caught her stare, which made her look away a bit too rapidly, "What?"
"Nothing, it's just, I remember the first time we met you, Dr. Banner. That's all," she muttered quickly, nodding over to Fitz.
He smiled slightly as the memory came strutting back into his mind.

He'd known who they were the second they had entered the diner. After all, they had invited him here, a small town in Alaska, and they shivered in the early morning cold as they spotted him and quickly made their way over.

They'd ordered coffee and sat in awkward silence, staring at him for several moments. He knew he looked ragged, several worn clothes, he hadn't shaved in months, his hair falling to his shoulders, his natural curls a knotted mess.

"Sir, we're-" the man had started, speaking in a pleasant Scottish accent.

"Leopold Fitz." he'd interrupted, "Rising star of SHIELD's Engineering program."

He'd then turned to the woman, "Jemma Simmons, genius biochemist, I read your doctorate on the Effects of Terrigen on Flora and Fauna, very well written."

She'd blushed slightly, "T-thank you."

"Fitzsimmons." he'd continued, smiling and looking down into his coffee, "Members of Agent Coulson's Infamous Response Team."

"Infamous?" Fitz had asked perturbed.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Banner, how do you know all this?" Simmons had questioned.

"Being on the run doesn't mean you stop paying attention to modern events." he'd stated, "After all, not when the people are praised by Tony Stark...and are likely going to end up hunting you down one day."

The room had gone eerily quiet at that, as he'd stared at them both, "Why are you here?"

"Director Fury requires your help, sir," Fitz stated.

"What if I say no?" Banner had asked, his hands clenching his coffee cup tightly.

"We were told that isn't an option, sir." Fitz had stated nervously.

"What if the Big Guy says no?" Banner had asked quietly, "Will you take that no for an answer?"

"You've been more than a year without an incident, Dr. Banner," Simmons had stated, "And we are not here to push you. We simply need you to understand that we are in desperate need of your help. I don't think you want this situation to go poorly, and nor do we."

"Well, I don't always get what I want." Banner had stated softly, staring into his coffee cup.

"Doctor, we are facing a potential global catastrophe." Leo had started, gaining a bit of his cowed fire back.

"Oh, well, those I actively try and avoid." Bruce had remarked with a dark chuckle.

"This is the Tesseract." Simmons had explained, pushing a burner phone with an image of a vibrantly glowing blue cube towards him, "It had the potential energy to wipe out the planet."

He'd pulled out a worn pair of glasses and looked closer at the image, "What does Fury want me to do with it? Swallow it?"

"He wants you to find it." Fitz had said, "It's been taken. It emits a gamma signature that is too weak for us to trace. No one knows gamma radiation as you do. If there was, you could bet, we'd be bothering them instead."

"So Fury isn't after the monster?" Bruce asked, sucking in air between his teeth and pulling off his glasses.

"Not that he's told us." they'd answered in unison.

"You can talk to him, Doctor." Simmons had stated, sitting forward, "He needs you on this."

"He needs me in a cage." Bruce had muttered, looking up at them both.

"No one is going to put you-" Simmons began, only for Bruce to interrupt her with a feral scream as he pounded on the table.

"Stop lying to me!"

She'd blanched considerable and reached briefly for the overly high-tech watch he'd spotted the moment she'd sat down across from him.

Fitz had jumped out of his seat and looked to be on the borderline of fainting.

All around, he heard the drawing of weapons, as every other patron in the diner turned a gun on him, including the chef, who he had never seen before today.

He'd sat back immediately with a bit of a bashful smile on his face, "I'm sorry that was mean. I just wanted to see what you'd do. What all of you would do."

He turned to face the other patrons, all revealed to be nervous SHIELD Agents, and smiled, "So why don't we do this the easy way, and you but those down and the Big Guy doesn't get to say hello. Now, can the person in charge of this little get-together come out and say hi?"

"Hello." a calm voice had stated, as a severe-looking woman of Asian descent with shoulder-length black hair emerged from the back of the diner and stared him down, "Melinda May."

"Dr. Bruce Banner." he'd returned, turning back to the still shell-shocked Fitzsimmons.

"I really am sorry, you both seem like really nice people." he'd comforted, "Nice enough that even the Big Guy would probably like you. I just can't stand people trying to trick me."

Bruce pulled himself out of his thoughts and downed his coffee in one go as the others got up to leave, Simmons now lightly teasing Fitz about their prior interaction with him.
"Come on, Fitz, it's a little funny." she mused, looking back at Bruce.
"Not really." he said sourly, "Sure, we're friendly now, but my entire life flashed before my eyes that morning. It wasn't all that exciting."
Coulson chuckled softly while Bruce had the conscious to shoot them both an apologetic grin when a sound not unlike a train whistle cut across their conversation.
Looking up, Bruce felt a bang of terror enter his soul as an immense tornado emerged out of the blue and began bearing down on them. A bus frantically tried to move ahead of it, careening towards them, only for it to get scooped up and hurled towards them at break-neck speeds.
There was a flash of lightning that wiped past him and the others, that then leaped off a nearby building and clambered inside the soaring bus. Before his very eyes, the patrons were being deposited around them, confused and shell shocked. As the bus driver was deposited next to them, the strange blurred figure turned to face the soaring bus, only for a blast of toxic yellow lightning to crack free of the tornado and send them careening backward.
Fear turned to anger as the bus continued towards him, his compatriots, and the innocent people around them.
He urged the change and his mind became hazy as the bus continued towards him.

Coulson had grabbed two of the citizens, shielding them with his body, when he hurt a deep grunt, followed by the sound of contorting metal.
Turning around, he saw the Hulk towering above the small crowd. The bus held in the air, which he then set down less than gently, the front caved into an almost comical impression of the Hulk's face.
The giant turned to look down at him and the crowd, zeroing in on Fitzsimmons.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice deep, almost childish in inflection but deeply caring. Even still, Coulson could hear the anger simmering behind each word.
"Yes," Simmons said, smiling up at him, while Fitz simply nodded.
"Go to Star Labs, get answers!" the giant ordered, turning back on the eerily still tornado.
"Hulk smash weird tornado!" he then roared, charging away from the group and leaping at the immobile windstorm.
Coulson reached into his pockets, pulling out a key fob, and pressed the small blue button along the bottom while Fitzsimmons and Ant-Man ushered the civilians to safety.
The lightning-wreathed figure appeared once more, pausing briefly as it spotted the Hulk snarling as bolts of lightning fired clean through his body with little effect other than enraging the Green Giant further. It looked at Coulson, and he could briefly make out a red suit beneath the vibrations and crackling golden lightning.
The figure gave him a mock salute and then charged after Hulk, leaping off his back and disappearing into the tornado.
A low purr dragged Coulson's attention away from the roaring storm and giant as Lola, his prized car emerged around the corner. It screeched to a halt before him, the doors opening on all sides, motor purring expectantly.
"Get in," he ordered, Ant-Man, shrinking down and leaping over the hood to emerge full-sized in the passenger seat. Fitzsimmons scrambled into the back.
Pressing his foot to the pedal, Lola took off immediately, weaving through the streets as he searched for the best path to Star Labs.
"So much for nothing out of the ordinary happening here." Fitz cried from the back.
"Ignoring the oddly controlled nature of the whirlwind, tornados are incredibly uncommon in this part of the country." Hank stated, pulling his helmet and tinkering with it once again, "But I think I know the reason for that."
"Simmons, contact May and Ward tell them two 084's are in the field, and we've got a Code Green." Coulson ordered, shooting Ant-Man a side-eye, "Go on, Doctor."
"Wells and Dr. Snow told me that the energy levels in the particle accelerator's pipeline were still on lethal levels, but the energy signatures I was picking off seemed off." the Doctor explained as they finished working on their helmet and placed it back on their head.
"Off how?" Coulson asked as he frantically turned the wheel to avoid a tossed telephone pole that speared into the ground next to them as the tornado roared into their path. The Hulk was thrown free of the conflux and landed near the pole.
With a roar of utter rage, he ripped the pole free of the ground and pitched it back at the tornado-like javelin before leaping after it disappearing from Coulson's view as he whipped around a corner.
"Off as in, I believe the signal I am getting is faked," Hank stated as Star Labs appeared in the distance, "A sabotage that is keeping people out for whatever reason."
As Lola screeched into the parking lot, Hank leaped into the air and shrunk as a large winged ant seemingly pelted from out of nowhere and caught him. Coulson pulled the car to a halt and raced after him, Fitzsimmons a step behind.
Their bombastic entry drew the attention of Wells and Caitlin, while Coulson could hear Cisco frantically shouting at someone on what sounded like a police radio.
"What's happening?" Wells demanded.
"A massive tornado just emerged on Main Street." Coulson stated, looking about for Pym, "It seemed to be under someone or something's control, Banner engaged."
Caitlin visibly paled and clutched at her heart while Wells muttered several rather colorful words under his breath.
"We've got other problems on our hands. However, how do we get down to the particle accelerator?"
"There's an elevator over this way. Why?" Wells asked as he began rolling backward.
"Questions later, we need to get down there now." he then turned to Fitzsimmons and tossed the later keys, "Get to the Bus and monitor the situation as you are able. Make sure Ward and Melinda get suited up with our heavier ICERs. If Dr. Pym's plan doesn't work, and this turns out to be a Meta or an Enhanced, they're going to need to be prepared."
Wells and Caitlin stared at him in confusion as the others rushed away. Coulson passed the open door to the "Cortex" of Star Labs and saw several screens already tracking the storm, or so it appeared. Cisco was frantically switching between screens and talking with someone on the other end of a headset, but he continued onward.
Piling into the elevator with Dr. Wells and Snow, they emerged on the bottom level to find Hank frantically tapping away at a screen next to the heavy, circular metallic door that led into the accelerator's pipeline.
"Dr. Pym, what do you think you are doing?!" Wells demanded, rolling forward.
"Don't come any closer, just in case," Hank ordered, putting a hand up in a halt signal.
"In case of what?" Coulson asked warily as warning light began to shimmer around them.
"In case I'm wrong." Pym stated, "The energy signatures coming out of the pipeline appear to be fake. They mimic real energy patterns believably enough. However, they repeat far too regularly to be normal, the same peaks, the same dips."
"Are you sure?" Dr. Snow asked, panic in her eyes as Coulson stepped before her and Dr. Wells.
"Not entirely." Pym stated, pausing in his typing, "But the best way to find a solution is through taking a calculated risk."
He pressed the final key, and the releases came off the door, and it began to rise the blue light emerging from beneath the door.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Are you sure?" Dr. Snow asked, panic in her eyes as Coulson stepped before her and Dr. Wells.
"Not entirely." Pym stated, pausing in his typing, "But the best way to find a solution is through taking a calculated risk."

He pressed the final key, and the releases came off the door, and it began to rise the blue light emerging from beneath the door.

Coulson raised his gun slowly as the light suddenly vanished, the door opening wide to reveal a vacant machine-lined tunnel.
"It-it's empty!" Dr. Snow cried incredulously, turning to look at Dr. Wells, who narrowed his arrows pensively.
"Well, I wouldn't say that." Dr. Pym remarked as he stepped forward, leaning in to stare down both sides of the accelerator, "Empty of a dangerous build-up of mutagenic energy surely, but not empty."
"What do you mean?" Coulson asked, moving forward to stand next to the scientist.
"There was another reason I believed the reading was faked." Pym informed, "Now we just need to find the source of that reason."
He suddenly tipped forward, falling over the edge only to suddenly grow in size so that he was head level with the doorway as his feet struck metal.
He held up a hand for Coulson to stand on, "Shall we, Agent?"
Coulson turned back to Fitzsimmons as a crack of thunder pealed through the sky so powerful they still felt the resonation this far underground.
"Get upstairs, get a hold of May and Ward, see if there is any way we can contain whatever is going on out there."
"On it, boss," Fitz stated, Simmons nodding her agreement as they both turned on a heel with Dr. Snow a step behind them. Wells sat there a few seconds longer. His eyes narrowed in a way that set Coulson on edge for a reason he couldn't quite place.
"Please let me know if you find anything." Well stated finally, "I do not like the thought that someone led me around by my nose for several months."
"Of course," Pym stated, as he turned lower Coulson to the ground, then shrinking down.
The tunnel has a track running that allowed them to walk without worry, but despite the blue lights that shown from the walls every twenty feet, it was not very bright.
"What are you expecting to find down here, Doctor?" Coulson asked as he pulled out a flashlight and shown it around the structure.
"Firstly, whatever was sending Wells and his team the false-positive, secondly if there are any remaining energy signatures or residue leftover from the Incident itself and thirdly whatever did that I suppose." the scientist rattled off, pointing ahead.
Coulson turned and spotted several chunks of the scaffolding that seemed to have been shorn away, along with several pieces of wall paneling.
"Not structural damage from the blast, I take it?" Coulson asked as they moved forward.
In truth, much of the tunnel was covered in burn marks, shattered shards of glass, and shorn metal covering the floor. The damage that Pym had pointed out looked fresher and in a way more purposeful than if it had been caused by an unexpected explosion, at least from what Coulson could tell.
"I don't believe so, no," Hank remarked, moving closer and pulling out a small scanner from his belt.
"The metal appears to have been torn or perhaps cut away." Hank continued, as he carefully ran his hand over one of the shorn wall panels, "As if by hand, or…."
He went quiet for a moment as his scanner pinged.
"By hand, Doctor?" Coulson interjected, "Are you telling me someone's been down here all this time.
"Well, considering much of this metal shows signs of organic DNA, likely saliva, along the shorn edges has me hoping it is not a someone Agent," Hank stated, as the antenna on the sides of his helmet extended.
"Where are you?" he muttered, moving forward slowly, his head now moving on an odd swivel.
"Dr. Pym, what aren't you telling me?" Coulson asked, moving after him.
"A great number of things, I imagine." the Doctor responded a little too honestly, "In fact, that reminds me, slipped my mind earlier, here."
Hank reached into one of the pouches on his back from which he drew a small journal.
"What's this?" Coulson asked as he took it.
"I'm not sure, honestly, though it likely contains information that could answer quite a few questions I'm beginning to have surrounding the Star Labs Incident, Centipede's involvement…."
"Star Labs is dealing with Centipede?" Coulson interrupted, giving Hank a critical look.
"Did, did I not tell you that?" Pym returned, staring at Coulson flatly.
"No," he stated, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Right, well, it appears as though Wells and Snow were aiding animals that had afflicted with government and commercial testing. They had a lab at the end of the hall, all of the cages are now empty, though considering their proximity to the accelerator explosion, it is more than likely at least some will begin to show signs of mutation, so the Zoo has to be informed."
"Doctor, what is the point." Coulson injected once more as Pym began to ramble. He had worked with the Doctor before, and while he was a pacifistic and kind man that had aided SHIELD in several incidents over the years, it had always been clear that the man wasn't all there. Occasionally, such was the case at the moment. He needed a bit of rerailing.
"The point, well, there's two." Pym stated, "Firstly, there is a Centipede device hidden in the lab as we speak; I tried to remove it but was found by Dr. Snow."
"She's with Centipede?" Coulson demanded.
"Highly doubtful, but someone that is working here or once did was." Pym continued.
"And you believe the identity of whoever that is, is in here?" Coulson queried, holding up the journal.
"Without a doubt, I discovered it alongside the Centipede device. However, I have no way to read it." the doctor said, as he suddenly turned and stared down the tunnel.
"Why not?" Coulson asked.
"It is not written in a language I even remotely recognize. Tony's translation software was stumped as well." Hank stated, "I am sorry that I neglected to inform you of this information before this Coulson, but I feel as though my second point is now moot."
"What do you mean?" Coulson said, quirking an eyebrow.
The doctor ignored him, and as Coulson got closer, he could see that Pym had his eyes shut behind the mask.
"There you are," he muttered.
"There, who is Doctor?" Coulson demanded.
"The reason for my hunch," Hank stated rather unhelpfully.
Coulson opened his mouth to demand a better explanation when a strange, low chittering sound drew his attention.
Coulson whirled around the corner of the tunnel. Three elephant-sized ants came crawling around the corner. Their antenna crackled with blue-electricity, the backs of their carapaces glowing from within with roiling yellow-and-blue energy. Two were crawling along the walls while the largest slowly made its way across the floor, antenna twitching rapidly.
"Doctor…" Coulson began as the largest suddenly reared, chopping its mandibles together and charged.

Barry was kind of marveling at the situation he was in right now.
He knew he should have been more worried than he felt, but honestly, this felt like something out of his wildest dreams.
He was fighting alongside an Avenger to take down a weather-chucking supervillain.
Lives were at stake, including his own, and as he dodged yet another blast of ugly neon yellow lightning, he couldn't help but crack a smile.
He quickly darted through Jitters coffee shop, carrying any remaining patrons and workers down into the basement as the snarling wind shattered the windows and sucked the glass into its grasp.
There was a loud cracking sound, and Barry darted aside as the Hulk slammed backward through the building, caving in the storefront with the remains of a Mercedes in his hands.
"This is awesome," he muttered to himself as he ducked under a thrown mail-box which shattered against the Hulk's seemingly impervious hide, who roared in frustration.
Suspended above them in the eye of the tornado was a ragged-looking man with unwashed blonde hair that whipped and whirled in the cascading wind. He was dressed in worn clothing. His sallow face was unshaven, and yet he carried his head high as if his chosen opponents were utterly beneath him. His body was wreathed in sickly yellow lightning, and his eyes and several veins along his neck and head glowed from within with an orangish-yellow light.
Barry whirled behind a wall as a maintenance hole cover rocketed towards him, taking a chunk out of the wall and shattering a hydrant in a burst of metal shrapnel and water.
The Hulk grunted as another bolt of lightning fried across his body but seemed largely unaffected as he decided to fire back his own projectile. Hefting the remains of the car in his hands, he sent it flying like a fastball.
Their attacker barely managed to parry the attack with a blast of wind, sending the car spearing into the concrete.
Barry darted forward, electricity filling his peripheral as he picked off-speed and leaped, racing up the side of an apartment building before kicking off hitting a building on the other side and then jumped again, landing a spinning kick against the weather manipulator's face with a satisfying cracking sound.
The tornado died slightly as the man reeled from the blow, Barry tumbling to his feet next to Hulk, who gave him a quick and honestly menacing grin.
The man pulled his hand away from his face, revealing a broken, bleeding nose, though the blood glowed the same dull shade as the light within his eyes.
"You dare to hit me?" the man asked, his voice somehow carrying above the roaring wind.
"Hulk, do more than hit you!" the Green Giant roared, cracking the pavement as he surged into the air.
"No one lays a hand on me!" the man roared, the winds intensifying tenfold, a sudden gale deflecting Hulk back to the ground but not doing him any harm.
"Get down here!" the Hulk roared, preparing to leap again when another gale forced all of the water from the fire hydrant to be redirected right towards him. Then man followed that move up with a bolt of lightning that fired free of his hand and dug through the ground to strike the Hulk's feet and fire upward through his body and into the sky.
There was a smell of burning hair and flesh and a snapping boom as the Hulk was suddenly sent rocketing backward from the force of the blast sent against him. He disappeared through the grey wall of the tornado with a furious roar that was followed by the sound of metal and then brick shattering upon him, impacting with something.
"Cisco!" Barry cried over the roaring winds, "This is getting out of hand, I cleared out most of the people on this block, but this guy is only getting stronger. He just punted the Hulk with a one-two combo. What do I do?!"
"The electrical build-up around you is increasing, but I can't pin why exactly yet. Lucky for you, with the suit and your powers, lightning isn't going to do much more than tickle. Clearly, though, this Weather Wizard, huh I like that, anyway has got more than lightning going on, the tornado is doing the most damage at the moment, and if my calculations are right, he might be able to increase this storm to Hurricane category winds if you don't stop him."
"What do I have to do?" Barry asked, dodging a flung car door with a moon-walk-like slide and then ducking under a rolling light pole.
"You need to," Cisco suddenly cut off.
"Cisco?" Barry yelled, "Cisco?!"
His friend's voice returned, whispering very quietly, "SHIELD is here. You need to counter the storm's rotation, and if you can't get him out of the city, sorry, but I've got to go dark. Good Luck."
"Run in a circle or get him to chase me. Thanks, Cisco." Barry returned as he began to race in a circle, ducking under and leaping over flung debris.
"Hey, Zeus Jr!" Barry called out, drawing the man's attention, "You aren't the only one who can put things on spin-cycle!"
He continued to pick up speed, his vision blurring as another tornado began to kick up, tinted gold and red by his streaking form, the greater storm weakening more and more as he ran.
There was a sudden sharp pain in his shoulder, and he was knocked backward, sending him tumbling across the ground until he cracked into the remains of the Mercedes. Fighting to get back to his feet, he winced as his muscles contorted, his body already beginning to heal, pushing out a bullet-sized shard of ice-wrapped metal.
Rolling over, he looked up to see the man bearing down at him, ice-encrusted metal and glass circling him like a demented ring of Saturn.
With a manic smile, the man opened his arms in a messianic fashion, and the orbiting ring burst toward him like a shotgun blast.
There was a sound like a thunderclap and a wave of force that shook Barry to the core of his being. It cut clear through the tornado and sent the metal-filled hail scattered uselessly around him.
As the wind fought to pick back up, the integrity of the funnel shattered by the sudden attack the Hulk burst through, landing before Barry. His face was set in an utterly feral grimace, and the bits of burnt skin and hair that remained sloughed off as he pivoted and landed a devastating uppercut to the newly dubbed "Weather Wizard's" torso.
There was a sound of several bones breaking like dry branches, followed by a booming cannon shot as Weather Wizard fired up and backward, clipping the top of the bank and continuing onward.
There was a loud cracking sound in the distance, and Barry couldn't help but wince as Hulk turned to look at him, the anger dissipating slightly.
"Laid a hand on him." the Giant growled in a confident, almost snarky manner.
Barry set his face and vocal cords vibrating before he spoke, "Looks like, but we still need to get him out of the city."
"What's left of him," Hulk said in a show of gallows humor that left Barry slightly stunned.
The Hulk then jumped into the air, touching down the now damaged bank and leaping again after their quarry.
Barry shook his head and took off, "Cisco is never going to believe that."

Coulson raised his gun and opened fire, the live rounds in his gun pinging off the soldier ant's carapace uselessly.
"Stop!" Hank ordered, pushing Coulson back as the enraged ant tried to snap him in twain with its jaws.
"Dr. Pym, I know you have a fascination with ants and all," Coulson snarked, "But giant Meta-Ants that look like they want to eat us seems a bit much."
"Violence is never the first course of action." Hank admonished angrily, pushing Coulson further back as another lunged for them.
"Tell them that." the Agent snarked once more.
"They don't know better; we do." Hank stated, "Trust me, I can end this without any harm to them or ourselves; I just need you to back away now."
"Right," Coulson stated, darting backward but keeping his gun raised.
"Thank you," Hank stated, whirling back to the ants, who had yet to attack him as he immediately had put out a series of signals that convinced them he was a lost worker.
He changed the signal to mark him as an intruder and undercut it with a signal he knew would draw their attention away from Coulson.
"Queen in danger! Queen in danger! Queen in danger!"
The soldier reared back while the two workers lunged for him.
He shrunk immediately, darting beneath their already colossal legs and racing away, growing to full size as he did so.
All three of them immediately whirled on him, the tunnel shaking with the elephantine weight of the enraged creatures.
Looking closer, he quickly realized that he was looking at a mutated version of Crazy Ants, which meant…
The thought died in his head as he shrank and rolled, an arching bolt of electricity carving along the floor where he was previously standing.
The soldier then opened its maw, disgorging a horrid mass of glowing liquid before him.
It burst into an electrified puddle, which he grew to avoid passing his normal height and growing to a height comparable to his attackers taking a wide step over it.
He whirled as the remaining worker charged, and despite not wanting to, struck it right above the mandibles.
He'd pulled the punch, and though uninjured, the worker still reeled from the blow.
The other two tackled him, snapping at his limbs, causing him to shrink rapidly, kicking off the head of one before continuing his way down the tunnel.
He looked about as the ants frantically chased him, unable to find him due to his now minuscule size but still rabid to protect their queen.
Looking up, he found what he was looking for, a gaping hole in the side of the accelerator, metal pulled back to reveal earth and stone, a tunnel descending into blackness.
Activating the lights on his helmet, he grew and leaped, going into a sliding dive down the tunnel as the ants slammed into the opening and began to scramble over each other to chase after him.
He continued downward, sliding to his feet and taking off running as he hunted for any other ants, but the tunnels, while branching, didn't extend past the light cast by his helmet.
A clattering crash alerted him to the arrival of at least one of the goliath ants, and he kicked it into overdrive.
He slid down another sloping tunnel and caught sight of a glowing light before him.
Switching his own off, he ducked under the snapping maw of a fourth ant, another soldier as it detached from the ceiling and stumbled into an immense domed chamber.
To his surprise, lying on the ground before him was not a queen but a worker in the midst of becoming a queen. The would-be-queen let out a pained trill as it turned, and Hank was taken aback by the intrusive metallic structure that had been sutured to her back. It seemed to be draining the energy from within her body as a power source, a familiar energy signature appearing on his radar.
This was the source of the false-positive, powered by a living battery. Her pain and struggle setting the normally peaceable doctor's stomach boiling.
The other ants charged in, preparing to coat him in electrified spittle when he changed the signal he'd been sending out.
Once more, he became a worker in their colony, but more than that, he promised help as he moved towards the injured worker.
The other ants milled about, snapping their mandibles as he shrunk down, leaping atop the would-be queen, and began searching for a way to turn the mechanism off.
To remove it would take a surgical approach that he would need to administer at a later date.
"Don't worry." he stated, talking to the hurting creature as he continued to leap about the metallic structure, "I've got you."
He translated the words into pheromone signals, calming her and the others as they began to circuit the room protectively.
He found the main power draw line, and without a moment's hesitation, severed the link.
A bolt of electricity ripped through his body but luckily, his suit had insulted him from most of the shock. He fell backward, growing to his proper height as the would-be queen stretched to her feet and let out a rumbling cry of happiness.
He quickly contacted Coulson, "Two birds, one stone."
"What?" Coulson fired back.
"Someone had implanted one of the ant's with a transponder. It used their mutated physiology as a power source." Hank stated as he pushed himself to his feet, "The false-positive well no longer will be an issue."
"And the ants?" Coulson asked.
One of the soldiers nuzzled Pym affectionately, nearly knocking him off his feet, "Under control, there are only five in total. The original queen must have perished in the accelerator explosion. Despite their powers, they seem relatively placid, as long as I am around. Should be no trouble for Zoo personnel."
"Good, because we need you topside, now." Coulson stated, urgency filling his voice, "We're looking at a Gamma level event up here."
Hank turned to look at the affectionate soldier pensively, "Where do you need me?"

Hulk landed and stared down at the ruin he had created.
A deep earthen crater marred the center of a rather peaceful-looking part.
What was in the crater was even worse to look at, admittedly.
One of the Meta's arms was bent all the way around, glowing blood leaked from his forehead, and his one leg was clearly broken.
The speedster arrived a second later and looked like he was about to be sick when he looked down at the man before him.
"He's still breathing." the speedster stated as he knelt next to the downed meta, "Good."
"Pulled the punch." Hulk started, staring down at the red-clad younger man, "Got a name?"
"Me?" he asked, looking up face and his voice still vibrating weirdly.
Hulk nodded, looking up to see several people slowly approaching them, many of them looking at him with a combination of reverence and fear.
"Flash." the man said eventually, "You can call me Flash."
It was then the Meta twitched. With a sickening crack, his arm popped back into place and bent back the proper way.
Hulk snarled as more wounds began to heal, but before he could do anything, Flash picked him up into his arms and raced away.
Hulk turned, hunting for the streaks of lightning, before grimacing and leaping into the air, landing atop a building that gave him a better vantage point. He spotted the speedster weaving through the streets and jumped after him.
Hulk landed beside Flash as he let the healing Meta tumble from his arms in an empty construction lot on the very edge of the city.
The man's eyes snapped open, glowing that strange orangish-yellow as he surged to his feet almost unnaturally.
He began to laugh, staring at both of them with a mad glint in his eyes.
Hulk made to shut him up only for the Flash to catch him by the arm. Hulk sent him a dark look, and the man immediately released him, but he still made a motion for the Jade Giant to hold back on the beat down for a second.
"What's so funny?" the Flash demanded, stepping forward.
"You tried to kill me." the man snarled, pointing at Hulk, "But not even you can kill God."
Hulk scoffed, "God's don't break that easy. Hulk knows."
The man laughed again, his body crackling with lightning.
"If you're a God, then why are you working for Centipede?" Flash asked, with a snarky grin,
"Working for?" 'Mardon' returned aghast, "No, no, they're aiding me on my journey to true divinity."
There was the screeching sound of tires, and Hulk turned as a black SUV pulled into the lot. Hulk vaguely remembered the figures that emerged from Banner's memories, Agent Ward, May, and Detective West, who had their guns drawn.
"Stand down, Mardon!" West ordered, pointing his gun at the manic man's head, "It's over."
Mardon chuckled darkly, "Detective, you couldn't be more wrong."
"Try me," Hulk stated, taking a menacing step forward.
"You're not going to win this," Flash said.
"You are all so blind." Mardon stated, shaking his head and looking at the ground with a sardonic smile, "You really think I have shown you everything I can do? That everything I have done so far to aid my servants' endeavors has been a true display of my power?"
He looked up, the light in his eyes intensifying as he revealed the metallic centipede locked to his chest.
"Wrong."
Hulk punched, and to his surprise, Mardon caught it. His arm was destroyed in the process, bones crunching disturbingly, but he had stopped the punch all the same.
Mardon began to glow from within, the light in his eyes suddenly tinged with green as the liquid within the device on his chest pumped fully into his body.
A bolt of lightning shot free of Mardon's neck as a vein popped, severing the SUV in twain in a show of accidental destruction.
The wind began to grow as Mardon's skin began to burn away, revealing glowing yellow muscle that began to morph and melt.
Hulk threw another punch, catching the man in the ribs, bones breaking, but Mardon didn't even flinch. Instead, he closed his eyes, bones realigning a tornado erupted around them, nearly decapitating Agent Ward with a thrown girder as it did so.
Flash went into a burst of speed, grabbing Detective West, then May and Ward, and racing through the wall of wind with them.
Mardon stumbled away from Hulk, his exposed muscle now sheathed in a second skin of glowing wind and burning lightning. He stood as tall as the Hulk, his face an aghast skull with glowing green eyes.
Mardon screamed, feral and two-toned with electricity as a bolt of lightning fired down from the sky and cracked into the Hulk.
He roared as his vision blackened, the scent of his own burning flesh and hair filling the air.
Barry sped back into the tornado as it continued to grow, tearing more and more debris into its hungry grasp. He dodged a piece of chain-like fence and saw the Hulk, his nervous system glowing from beneath his skin as the lightning continued to pour into him.
Mardon had changed into some horrific fusion of lightning and human. His face was nothing but a gaunt screaming skull.
Gritting his teeth, Barry felt the lightning in his own body surge as he bolted forward, aiming a devastating kick at Mardon's ankle.
The creature flinched as electricity fired up Barry's body though he felt little more than a snap of static.
The Hulk roared, punching forward, breaking Mardon's jaw, his eyes glowing with emerald fury as the skin across his body healed back to its pristine jade sheen.
"That hurt!" Hulk roared, punching Mardon in the ribs and then kicking him backward.
The man's jaw snapped back into place as he let out a horrific screech, two girders flying free of the storm to attempt to spear both of the heroes.
Barry leaped into the air and then raced up his girder, flipping into the air to land a harsh kick to the side of Mardon's head while Hulk batted him aside and surged forward to grab him.
Mardon dissipated suddenly, his body becoming not but wind and lightning, which speared through Hulk's chest and came out the other side.
Mardon reformed with a dark chuckle as he rose into the air, the storm intensifying, wind turning metal, rock, and wood into a whirling cloud of shrapnel.
Hulk stepped in front of Barry, taking the onslaught, green blood spattering across the ground even as the wounds healed within seconds, Hulk's furious yell combating with the rumbling whistle of the storm.
"Counter the rotation." Barry thought to himself, gritting his teeth as lightning built across his body and he was off.
Racing faster and faster and faster, dodging every obstacle Mardon set in his path as the Hulk rescued the insane Meta back to the ground and began trading blows with a furious snarl.
Kicking off flying pallets, ducking racing bricks, bolting up cartwheeling girders, dodging between the strikes of the battling goliaths he ran on.
"Run Barry!" the voice from the depths of his comma returning, sounding vaguely of his mother, "Run!"
Pushing forward even further, a second tornado began to appear in his wake, and as it strengthened, Mardon's began to shift and roil as more and more of its power was sapped away from it.
Mardon cast out a hand, a bolt of electricity firing at Barry, trying to at least halt his progress, but he was too quick, sliding underneath it and continuing onward.
Hulk took that opening to snag Mardon beneath the outstretched elbow and, with a furious tug, broke the arm upward and then tossed him to the ground.
The Meta struggled to get to his feet, only for Hulk to plant a foot in his back and punch his head into the dirt, leaving a deep impression.
The tornado finally died, Barry skidding to a halt, gasping in lungfuls of air as the Hulk continued to bear down on Mardon.
"Nice wor-" Barry began to say as Mardon screamed a crack of thunder accompanying him as he plunged his hand into the dirt. The Hulk was blasted off his back in a flare of lightning while Mardon surged to his feet, the remains of an underground powerline clasped in his hand. With a deep chuckle, the Meta stabbed the line into his body.
Lights began to flash out all around them as Mardon drew more and more from the power grid, slowly growing in size, his body distorting and bulging more.
With a snarl, he fired a bolt of lighting at Barry, catching him in the chest.
Barry screamed as the surge of heat and energy overpowered his resistance and began to burn through his suit. Hulk surged to his feet only for Mardon to lash out with his other hand, grabbing the Avenger by the face and sending a city's worth of electricity ripping through his body.
Hulk gritted his teeth, his whole body beginning to steam as his muscles became more and more pronounced.
Barry writhed in pain, fighting to escape the onslaught when suddenly Mardon's connection within the line was severed. Barry looked up, expecting to see the Hulk pounding away on him.
He blinked three times, wondering if his brain had been fried instead.
Mardon was suspended off the ground, the electric glow around his skin growing fainter and fainter as he struggled to break free of the elephant-sized ant that held him by the neck in his jaws. Energy seemed to be passing from Mardon into the oversized insect, which trilled softly as a figure stood upon its back.
"Sorry we're late!" the figure cried out, their silver helmet retracting to reveal the face of Hank Pym, Ant-Man, with a slight smirk on his face.
"Thank you," Barry stated as he pushed himself to his feet.
"Don't thank me," Hank stated, patting the top of the ant's head, "Thank her, a Mutated Crazy Ant, normally they conduct electricity, and since I found this individual, healthy and unharmed within Star Labs Pipeline, I realized that the accelerator explosion might have evolved them to consume electricity."
"I-uh, well good to know." Barry stated, muttering to himself afterward, "That explains the power outages."
"Oh, sorry rambling again," Hank stated, turning to look at the Hulk, who stared up at him flatly as Mardon continued to struggle against the ant's grip, "Let's wrap this up."
"No!" Mardon screamed, lashing out at Hank, nearly grabbing him by the ankle and then clawing at the ant's face ferally.
Hulk growled and turned towards Barry, "Fast Ball."
"What?" Barry asked, confused, staring up at him.
"People under the effects of the Centipede Serum take a lot to put down." Pym stated as he fought to stay standing on the struggling ant, "He wants to throw you at him. With enough momentum behind the blow, you should be able to knock him unconscious."
Barry blinked several times before the daredevil inside him took over, "Alright then."
Hulk grinned darkly as he backed away from Mardon, who continued to struggle to no avail. Barry raced away, darting down several streets before turning around and sprinting his way back towards the fight.
Hulk stuck out a hand as he heard Barry approach from behind, which he leaped into and was then sent rocketing towards Mardon as the ant dropped him. He cracked his shoulder into Mardon's face with a sound like a cannon-shot, and the Meta careened backward into dreamland.
Barry hopped to his feet, his shoulder aching from the impact, and was nearly knocked off his feet by the Hulk as he patted his back.
Hulk smirked as he planted a foot on Mardon's chest and bent down to rip out the Centipede device. It came away in a spray of glowing orange liquid, and Hulk tossed it to Dr. Pym, who immediately began looking it over.
"Thank you," Barry stated. He quickly masked his voice and face with vibrations as they turned to look at him.
Hulk merely grunted as he kept his foot on Mardon's chest while Pym smiled slightly.
"No need, it's what we do," Pym remarked, turning to look over his shoulder at the approaching SHIELD Agents and Joe.
"Don't move!" Agent May ordered, leveling her gun on him, "We need to take you in for questioning."
Ward leveled his gun at him as well, while Joe stood there with a conflicted look on his face.
Pym gave Barry a faint nod as if telling him to leave as the immense ant suddenly moved to block the agent's path.
Barry took off without another word, disappearing into Central City with a smile slowly growing across his face.
"My first true outing as a hero, and I get to fight alongside the Avengers." he mused to himself, "Awesome."

"After that, Coulson had Mardon sedated and moved into a cell on the Bus with plans to transfer him to the Cube, I assisted in the moving the Meta-Ants onto a Zoo transport, and Coulson's team spent the rest of the excursion trying to track down any leads on Central City's Centipede chapter or the identity of the Flash," Pym stated over breakfast as Tony, Daisy and Ben listened attentively.
"Any luck?" Daisy asked as she put a spoonful of fruit-filled oatmeal into her mouth.
"None." Pym stated, "Centipede went to ground after. I believe Mardon's theatrics were either not what they wanted or just a distraction for something else they were after. As for the Flash, Coulson and May believe he has a connection to Star Labs."
"Who do they think he is?" Ben queried, having sat quietly for most of the explanation.
"Coulson didn't say, May believes it might be Doctor Wells," Hank stated, as he fed a bit of toast to the small ant he had decided to take with him.
"Isn't Wells confined to a wheelchair?" Tony pointed out, dripping a bit of runny egg on the table, which Dot, as Wasp had dubbed her, raced over to lap up.
"Which is why she believes it is the perfect cover." Pym said, "Ward is convinced it is Mr. Allen, but Fitz mentioned something about that being 'too obvious.'"
"They're keeping their identity secret for a reason." Banner stated from the couch, "Whoever they are, they're trying to do the right thing and keep the people they know safe. I'm a little envious, honestly."
"I understand where they're coming from." Ben stated, looking down at his food thoughtfully, "I'd want to keep the people I love out of the crosshairs of anyone I fought."
"Regardless, Star Labs stated their interest in working with us again." Pym finished.
"By 'us' he means him," Wasp interjected as she walked into the room following her morning jog, "And by 'Star Labs,' he means Dr. Snow."
Tony smirked, "Oh really."
Pym turned to look at Wasp with a confused expression, "She asked that we stay in touch. What are you implying?"
"She gave you her phone number." Wasp snarked, picking Dot up off the table with a smile, "I'll simply do what I like."
Hank continued to give her a confused look, turning to the others who met him with a combination of baffling expressions, shrugs, and on Ben's part, a snorting laugh that caused him to inhale his orange juice.
Tony stood up, "Well, as captivating as that was, time for me to get to work. I can't keep relying on Coulson for rides now, can we?"
He stood up, carrying the remains of his breakfast with him, and entered the elevator.
The second the door closed, he reached for the secret panel.
"Time to add another anomaly to the list." he thought with a smirk.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

New York City, October 19th, 11:30 EDT

Ben raced through the East Bronx, a chilly wind whipping around him as he bolted down the abandoned streets. The Dome rose imperiously into the sky to his left, red energy roiling like a trapped sun. All around him, business's had been shuttered, cars abandoned, a stray dog bolted as he skidded around a corner and kept running.
"Got eyes on them?" Tony asked, his voice coming in over the comm in Ben's ear.
"Yep!" Ben cried, his voice taking on a squawking quality as he leaped over a downed trashcan, his talons clattering across the pavement as he kept running.
Kicking Hawk hadn't been his first choice, but it seemed like, despite everything, the Omnitrix still had its own sense of humor.
"They ducked into a back alley near the Social Security Admin," Ben continued.
"Understood, Tremors, can you head'em off?" Tony asked.
"Yep, be there in a sec." came her returned, followed by a low boom in the distance that Ben guessed was her taking to the air.
Their quarry was a short, oddly shaped individual who was racing ahead of Ben at a rather impressive pace. Hungover their back was a backpack bulging with stolen electronics, their body hidden beneath an overly sized green hoodie. The only thing visible was their vibrant red sneakers that looked slightly off, but Ben couldn't quite place why.
Ben thought back to how this all started as he leaped into the air, kicking off a dumpster and pushing off the wall of a shuttered restaurant to gain ground on the hooded figure.

"Morning," Daisy said, drawing his eyes up from his heaping pile of food just as he shoved a massive helping of sausage and egg into his mouth.
"Mornin," he muttered back, hastily swallowing the bite as she sat down across from him and slapped a folder down in front of him marked with the SHIELD sigil.

She was dressed in a gray t-shirt and comfortable-looking jeans while he was still in his pajamas, his hair a raggedy mess.

"What's this?" he asked, tapping the folder with the back of his fork as he shoved a whole piece of toast into his mouth.
"SHIELD has asked me to add you to the Initiative Roster officially," she explained, opening it to reveal several pages with the Avengers 'A' emblazoned across them and a picture of him he didn't remember taking.
"Where'd you get this?" he asked, staring at her a bit cagily, he still wasn't ready to trust her, and there was still a tension between them he didn't quite understand that went beyond that.
"AVA nabbed that on the Helicarrier," Daisy stated, rubbing the back of her neck, "Sorry, we can take another one if you like, after you get cleaned up, of course.

She smirked slightly at his messy hair and slightly grease-stained lips.

"I have no idea what you mean." Ben snarked, drawing a small smile from her, "And if I don't want to be added to this 'Initiative.'"
"Then, I go back to listening Wasp ramble about Hank while trying to get through Tony's firewall," she stated nonchalantly, "And then there's like a seventy-five percent chance Fury has someone else write up; a document on you without your input."
"Well, we can't have that," Ben muttered, frowning as he placed a syrup-and-butter-drenched piece of waffle into his mouth, "Wha's the Initiative?"
"The Avengers Initiative, a list of current Avengers and their capabilities as well as profiles on possible recruits." Daisy explained, "I was one of the more recent additions, but everyone here is in it. It is a plan for defending Earth against threats that go beyond the conventional, both terrestrial and non."
"Alright." Ben stated, "Ask away, I suppose."
"Full name and date of birth," she asked, pulling a pen from behind her ear, which had been hidden in her mane of golden-brown hair, and putting it to paper.
"Benjamin Kirby Tennyson," he said, "And December 27th, 1995."

Daisy laughed, but as she wrote down his name.

"What's so funny?" Ben asked, giving her a pointed look.
"Sorry, I'm just imagining you are turning into the video game character," she said with a grin.

He cracked a grin as he thought to himself, ("Well, at least that's still the same.")

"What are your powers, where did they come from, how long have you had them?" she continued, still smiling.
"Shapeshifting into numerous alien life-forms, all of whom have their own abilities. They come from an alien device called the Omnitrix, which is now embedded into my body." Ben rattled off before turning truth into falsehood, "I don't remember how I got it, but I think I've had it since I was ten."
"Ten years old?" Daisy queried, "How did you keep your powers hidden for so long?"

Ben shrugged, "I-I don't know."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she shrugged it off and continued with her questions.

"Do you have any family?" she asked, looking up at him.

His appetite drained away as those words rang in his ears, thinking about his cousin, his family back at home, and what they must be going through. He'd even started dating again, the small miracle of convincing her to give him a second chance, non-withstanding, he wondered what she must have been thinking right now.

"Ben?" Daisy asked, "Are you okay?"

He blinked back to reality, staring at the seemingly genuine concern on her face.

"I-,"
"Sorry to interrupt," Tony stated, hanging off the side of the elevator, his whole body diagonal with the floor, "But I need to borrow the two of you."
"What's going on?" Ben asked, turning away from Daisy to look at him.
"There have been a series of Gunfights and thefts in East Bronx." Tony stated, "Coulson's crew would normally be investigating this, but he and his team are still preoccupied with Star City."
"What about the police?" Daisy asked.
"The East Bronx has been cleared out since the Dome, people moving to other parts of the city or just straight up leaving, police included," Tony remarked, "On top of that, the claims from SHIELD personnel in the area make it seem like it could be Watchdogs and Morlocks expanding into territory outside the Dome."
"Just the three of us?" Ben asked, "What about the others."
"Hank left for the Zoo a few minutes ago, Wasp has a flight to San Fransokyo in an hour, and Banner is meeting with an old friend of his." Tony remarked, "Besides, I think the three of us can handle a couple of Watchdogs and thieves, don't you?"
"What have they been stealing?" Daisy asked as she got to her feet.
"Electronics mostly." Tony returned, turning to Ben, "Go wash your breakfast out of your hair and meet us in ten."

The figure whipped around a corner as Ben hit the ground behind him.
"Please, just stop running. I promise we're not going to hurt you." Ben called out, "We just want to know what you've been doing!"
The figure didn't answer, bending lower and seeming to pick up speed. Ben noticed a vaguely green reptilian tail appear from beneath the hoodie, though once again, something about it didn't quite look right.
The figure bolted across the street just as Daisy hit the ground beside it and grabbed for them.
They ducked her swipe and swerved into another alley with her and Ben hot on their trail.
"He sure is quick," Ben remarked. Daisy nodded and then did a double-take when she looked at him.
"Why are you a giant chicken?!" she asked with a laugh.
"A giant alien chicken with razor-sharp arm talons." Ben returned with a slight grimace, "Don't ask."
She shook her head as they turned back to the chase, slowly gaining on the figure.
They looked back, and Ben spotted a bit of green skin poking out from under the blue bandana wrapped around their face.
"Stop!" Ben yelled, reaching out to grab hold of the backpack as they got closer than ever before.
The figure surged into the air leaping much higher than should have been normal, and landed atop a nearby roof and taking off again. Daisy and Ben followed, racing after them as they leaped from building to building.
"Alright, kid, pull it over," Tony stated as he dropped out of the sky directly in front of the thief, who stuttered to a halt and began looking about in a slight panic.
"Just hand over what you stole, and then we can talk about what exactly you're doing here," Tony ordered, holding his hand out for the backpack.
The thief shook his head almost comically fast and began to back up, only to see Ben and Daisy approaching and began looking about frantically.
"You can trust us," Daisy stated, "We're not trying to hurt you. You've caused some trouble, but I get the feeling you don't have any other choice. Am I right?"
The figure looked at her, still silent, and slowly cocked its head to the side.
She got a bit closer, and the character backed up, directly into Tony, who put a hand on their shoulder.
The figure immediately panicked, and to Ben's surprise, a long vivid-red, and oddly shaped tongue emerged from beneath the bandana and struct Tony directly in the face with enough force to knock him off the building and down into the alleyway below.
"Hey jerks!" a snarky voice called out, "Leave him alone!"
A figure spun past them high-lighted in blue light, their feet coming up to kick Ben and Daisy in the back of the knee, sending them to the ground.
Ben looked up as the new hooded figure skidded to a halt, they wore a blue hoodie and black bandanna, but Ben could make out two overly large eyes glaring at him from beneath the hood. The hood was stretched in weird angles, and the arms hung way past the character's hands, which seemed a bit oversized. Two oversized red shoes were the most defining feature, ones that looked weirdly recognizable.
Another figure appeared, taller than others, though not much, wearing a pink hoodie and black sweat pants. His jaw jutted out from beneath the hoodie, the same odd falses clinging to him like it had the original thief.
"Don't worry, buddy." the one in the blue-hoodie stated, patting the backpack-wearing figure on the shoulder, "We've got your back."
"You AIM folks just don't learn, do you!" Blue called out, "We aren't letting you take her!"
"AIM?" Daisy asked, shooting him a confused look.
"Her who?" Ben queried.
The other figures turned to look at Blue, who rubbed the back of his head in an almost embarrassed fashion.
"Uh, none of your business!" he called out, pointing the finger at them. Ben stared at him for several seconds, he recognized their voice, and as he stared at the others, things began to click into place.
"No way," Ben muttered, Daisy, sending him a questioning look.
"What?" she asked as she got to her feet, vibrations beginning to rattle up her body.
Ben didn't answer. Instead, he pinched himself, "Nope, not dreaming."
"Ben?" Daisy asked, staring at him like he'd gone crazy.
"Humor me." he returned, getting to his feet and falling into a fighting stance.
"Go take care of the other guy." Blue stated, squaring up against Daisy and Ben, "And you get going."
The other figures nodded, the thief turning and leaping from the rooftop and hitting the ground running while Pink leaped down into the alleyway Tony had fallen.
"Let's dance!" Blue yelled, darting forward them at break-neck speed.

Tony shook his head, slightly dazed.
"FRIDAY, did you get that plates on that truck?" he asked, as he pushed himself up to a sitting position and realized he was resting within the ruins of a loaded dumpster.
"Not yet, boss, but they appear to be getting away." his hud lit up as the thief appeared at the end of the alleyway and began racing away from him.
"I wanted to do this the easy way," he muttered as he activated his stun-repulsors, "But I guess not."
He aimed, targeting the thief's back when another figure dropped into his line of sight.
Refocusing, he looked down to see around five foot tall built guy dressed in a pink hoodie and black sweatpants.
"Can I help you?" Tony snarked.
The figure rolled his shoulders and then launched a punch that sent Tony stumbling backward as he felt the armor around his gut dent in a little.
"FRIDAY, what's this guy made of!" Tony demanded, dodging out of the way of another punch that cracked concrete and looking down at his dented armor in amazement.
"I don't know, boss," FRIDAY returned, an image appearing of an x-ray of the figure, "I can't get an x-ray of him, but he's not breathing, and I can't detect a pulse.
Tony's eye flicked to the readings and then back to the actual fight as he ducked a blow.
"Alright, Pinkie, what's your deal?" Tony asked, powering up his repulsors.
Pink said nothing, just gritted his teeth, and fell into a tight boxing stance as he closed in on Tony.
He fired off a punch that caused the air to ripple around it from the very force of the strike but left him open for Tony.
He fired his stunners into the guy's chest and expected to see some kind of reaction from him, but the guy just stared down at the dissipating energy and then up at Tony.
"Crap," Tony muttered as Pink lunged again, slamming Tony into the air with a harsh uppercut. The metal dented again, and Tony let out a fearful gasp before catching himself in the air.
Tony gritted his teeth as the figure leaped into the air and aimed another punch. Tony reacted. First, his robotic arm snapping forward, his armor changing and molding slightly as the nanite wrapped around Pink's arm like a vice, and then Tony jetted into the air.
"You're going to have to try harder than that," Tony remarked.
They rocketed into the air, and Tony caught sight of Daisy and Ben fighting a blue-wreathed speedster, who was literally running circles around the both of them.
Tony aimed a repulsor and fired, catching the speedster by surprise as the ground next to his feet turned into a crater. He tripped and rolled across the top of the building, hitting the top of a ventilation system with a loud clang.
Tony turned to hunt for the original thief when a metallic tearing sound caught his attention.
Pink's body was steaming, a snarl evident on his face as he grabbed hold of Tony's neck, finished tearing himself free of the nanites, and reared back as he pulled himself up.
Tony's vision darkened as the enraged man headbutted Tony, cracking his visor and sending his senors scrambling.
"FRIDAY, I can't see," he said, panicking slightly as he felt himself pitch forward, Pink fighting to tug them off balance.
"Working on it!" the AI cried, his vision flaring back fully as he saw Pink going in for another headbutt.
He swung his hands up, the enraged man catching a repulsor blast to the face sending him falling to the roof beneath him. Pink landed hard but stayed standing, the steam dissipating from his body as he put out a hand to lift his accomplice to his feet.
Tony teetered in midair as his vision fully came back, clattering to the ground next to Daisy as Ben stalked towards the pair.
"We not backing down!" Blue shouted, falling into a fighting stance, while Pink immediately snapped into boxing mode.
"I know," Ben stated, darting forward, his talons extended.
Daisy raced to help him, sending two blasts at Pink, who weathered the blows and bolted towards her.
Ben made to grab him and got a kick to the face from Blue in return.
"I'm not getting a pulse on that one either, boss," Friday stated.
"Right," Tony stated as the precision bolts popped up from his shoulders.
They fired out weaving between Ben and Daisy, catching their attackers in the limbs.
Blue ducked and dodged, his hoodie ripping to shreds but not appearing to actually take any hits, revealing hints of blue fur that began to emerge from the holes.
Pink meanwhile took every hit and fell to his knees, teetering slightly before falling to the ground.
Blue looked at his fallen companion as Ben froze, a weirdly excited grin crossing his face.
Daisy meanwhile darted for Blue, who ducked beneath her legs and went to grab Pink only to skid to a stop and stare off into the middle distance as if he heard something.
Tony could see the shorter figures' hands clench slightly before nodding, ducking another blase by Daisy, rolling out of Tony's next repulsor blast and then shooting off like a rocket.
Ben, meanwhile, was staring down at Pink with a gleefully befuddled expression.
"Earth to Tennyson, Earth to Tennyson," Tony stated as he landed, tapping the younger man on the side of the head, "Did this form give you birdbrain or something?"
"No, I'm sorry, it's just…." Ben began, shaking his head and letting out a soft laugh, "Hold on."
He reached down and pulled off Pink's hoodie, revealing a teenage Asian-American man with spiked blue hair and deeply tanned skin. The oddest bit about him was that he didn't look real. He had an almost rubber or plastic-like quality, a sheen that a normal person wouldn't have.
"So it is the Morlocks," Daisy muttered as she knelt and felt the side of the kid's face, "He's oddly warm."
"Morlocks? Wait, you don't recognize him?" Ben asked incredulously, staring at her wide-eyed and then turning to look at Tony, "I thought you knew Nintendo?"
"I'm sorry?" Daisy queried, staring up at him flatly.
"That's Little Mac!" Ben cried, gesturing down at the unconscious teen wildly.
Daisy stared at him for several seconds before turning to Tony, staring at Ben with his head tilted to the side.
"Did, did you hit your head?" Tony asked.
"No, guys, I know that sounds insane, but I'm serious!" Ben cried.
Quake made to interject when the teen suddenly surged to his feet, his whole body glowing red, steam hissing into the air, and launched a punch directly at Tony's face.
Tony's vision blurred instantly, blackness enveloping him as his face mask broke even further.

Daisy stared in shock as Tony went rocketing backward and bashed clean through the roof-top generator, which shattered violently, shrapnel flying everywhere.
The man then whirled on her, only for Ben to grab him from behind and heft him over his shoulder, chucking him off the side of the building and into the alleyway beneath them.
They both turned, and Daisy stared in confusion as instead of seeing him lying there, there was nothing. He'd vanished as if into thin air.
Ben was still smiling oddly, and Daisy wasn't exactly sure what to do with him, so she instead turned and ran to check on Tony.
She skidded to a halt before him as he struggled to sit up.
"Are you okay?" she asked, a bit worried by the stilted movement of his limbs.
"Again, Truck, Plates, anybody get them?" he snarked, as he began pawing at his ruined face-plate, "Help me get this off?"
Quake obliged, pulling the dented plate free with a bit of effort and some help from her powers, revealing a very bruised and confused Tony Stark.
"Right so, note to self, from no one I avoid fighting anyone wearing pink." he snarked, as he rubbed his bruised jaw, "God, I'm going to be feeling that for a week!"
Daisy handed him the faceplate, which he looked over critically, marveling at the knuckle-indents that marred the metal.
"Tennyson, you still cracked, or have you come back down to earth?" Tony cried out.
Daisy turned, looking at Ben as he turned back into a human, still wearing his befuddled grin and shaking his head.
"Yeah, I'm good." he returned, walking over and joining them, but the smile didn't fade.
"FRIDAY, can we track them down?" Tony asked as Ben and Daisy pulled him to his feet.
"I'm not exactly sure how boss, I need to know what they're made for that," FRIDAY responded.
"Video," Ben stated; Daisy sent him another worried look while Tony just looked up at him flatly.
"I-what?" Tony asked.
"Again, this is crazy, but I'm like pretty sure we were just fighting video game characters," Ben stated.
The look Tony shot Ben was such a mixture of befuddled and pissed that Daisy couldn't help but laugh.
"You think I just got my ass kicked by a video game character?" Tony stated, "That is what you are saying to me right now."
"Well yeah, Little Mac," Ben stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"How sure are you of that fact?" Daisy asked, fighting a smile as she crossed her arms.
"Eight-five percent." Ben returned honestly, "Maybe ninety."
Tony pinched the bridge of his nose, winced as he exacerbated a bruise, and then looked back up at Ben with a worried expression.
"I'm going to be sitting you down with Pym for a long conversation when we get done here," Daisy remarked.
"Why?" Ben asked, fighting a smile.
"Because you sound insane!" Daisy returned, "And he's the closest thing we have to a therapist."
Ben laughed, "Look, is sentient video games really that hard to accept?"
"I'm ignoring you both now." Tony remarked, turning to face the way the first culprit had disappeared, "They were stealing electronics, right? FRIDAY, scan for any unusual power draws, hell most of this place is shut down, so any power surge should be our thieves."
"Gotcha, boss," FRIDAY stated. She was quiet for a moment before speaking up again with the hint of a laugh in her voice, "There is a large building a block from here that is drawing a copious amount of power and not to give Tennyson's crazed idea more credence, but it is very close to a video game store."
"See!" Ben cried.
Tony merely shook his head while Daisy stared at him and let out another incredulous laugh.

"What is so crazy about my idea?" Ben asked for the fourth time as the trio made their way towards the building cautiously.
"You are claiming that the Dome brought video game characters to life!" Daisy hissed back, "Firstly, we aren't in the Dome!"
"I'm not saying that." Ben interrupted, "I'm saying there's a Meta or an Inhuman that is doing it! We're right near the Dome, and there have to be people that got out that SHIELD missed."
"Or it could be a bunch of Metas, not a bunch of sentient video game characters!" Daisy fired back.
"How is this too weird for you? We met an eight-year-old that had godly transmutation powers!" Ben exclaimed, "Hank found a hive of giant, electricity-eating ants!"
"A colony," Tony interjected, "But it's a fair point."
"You agree with him now?" Daisy demanded.
Tony shrugged noncommittally as she turned back to Ben.
"Bet me," Ben stated, "If I'm wrong, I buy you whatever food you want from where ever, and vice versa."
"Anywhere?" Daisy asked, eyeing him critically.
"Yep." Ben returned.
"Deal," she stated, taking his outstretched hand and shaking it.
"Alright, cut the chatter," Tony said as they spotted the building before them. Most of its windows were shattered or boarded up. Burn marks and bullet holes marred the brick. Spent casings laid about the ground haphazardly.
"It looks like a war zone," Ben remarked.
"How are we entering?" Daisy asked, eying the main entrance.
"They likely already know we're coming," Tony remarked, rubbing his swelling jaw, "And I honestly want payback too much to care about stealth."
"Loud and proud it is," Ben stated, closing his eyes, his body shifting and changing until standing before they were a black and green-skinned, cyclopean creature with a square jaw, three-fingered hands topped with copper tubes, two long antennae, and a long tail. Several copper nodes emerged from his shoulders, forearms, and hips as he opened his singular eye.
Ben looked down at himself and grinned, "Oh, this will definitely work."
Tony nodded and headed in first, with Ben a step behind. Daisy took up the rear keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Her eyes fell on an apparently abandoned SUV painted yellow and black sitting in an alleyway facing the building, and after cataloging that, she entered the building.
It was pitch black inside, except for a singular blue light that shown from somewhere above them, revealing the shadow of a staircase leading up.
Tony activated his repulsor, bathing the room in light, dust, and cobwebs covered several stacked boxes. At the same time, the remains of numerous computers, keyboards, and gaming consoles sat strewn about the floor.
He shone his light upwards, catching a set of metal-clad boots standing on first landing before them.
As the light rose higher, it highlighted a suit of knight's armor, though it had a strange graininess to it.
"Talk about out of place," Tony muttered as his light caught the helmet, which appeared to be off-center, staring down at the ground.
Daisy looked around, hunting for any sign of the thieves, and spotted several hoodies hanging on a teetering coat rack in the corner.
She pointed quietly, drawing Ben's attention, who nodded and moved to examine the other side of the room.
The was a strange pulsing sound, and suddenly Daisy found herself weightless. Ben and Tony joined her, floating weightlessly beside her in purple spheres of energy.
The armor set moved, looking up as lines of fire spread across its form, wicking ash as if it was a still burning log. It drew a blade from its hip, which immediately caught fire.
There was a whirring noise as suddenly every light in the room turned on, revealing a blue-haired woman with glowing purplish-blue tattoos on her bare arm dressed in a grey-hooded outfit and holding an odd futuristic SMG in the other.
Daisy's eyes widened as the speedster skidded to a halt.
"So about that bet," Ben remarked, hanging upside down in his bubble.
Tony let out an incredulous laugh as she sent Ben a pointed glare.
She looked back at their captors and let out a soft, confused laugh as staring back at her with a confident smirk on his face was Sonic the Hedgehog.
"Too easy," he stated with a smirk as the Ashen One, and the Siren stepped closer to the floating trio.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Feedback stared around at the living video game characters with befuddled amazement while Tony looked plain confused and Daisy wore an annoyed expression.
"Again, about that bet," he stated, looking over at Daisy as he slowly swung upside-down.
"Not now, Ben," Daisy stated coldly as she fought to turn around and look at the woman who had them all suspended.
"Nice job Maya," Sonic stated, marching a circle around the suspended heroes.
"Figured they'd put up more of a fight honestly," Maya stated, looking a bit disappointed.
The knight said nothing, staring down the steps imperiously as it held its sword toward them.
"Eh, these AIM guys never put up much of a fight." Sonic scoffed, darting around and poking Tony in the forehead.
"Do we look like AIM to you?" Tony fired back.
"I dunno, AIM seems to come in all shapes and sizes." the blue hedgehog returned with a shrug of his shoulders, "Yellow cylinder heads, big robots, weird latex bodysuits, way too muscular and glowing.
"And even if you aren't, there's no way we're going to let you hurt her." Maya stated angrily, "Time's running out on my little trick, Ashen One, you're up."
The silent knight began to march down the stairs, dropping their sword blade first into the stairs as they raised their fists.
The knight struck at Ben, catching him full in the face and sending him spinning slightly.
He looked over to Tony, who was fighting to escape with all his might, and winced, "Sorry, Tony."
"What do you mean, sorry?" the other man asked, as Feedback managed to lash out with one of his antennae and latch onto the armor.
He drew in a small bit of power and, as his fingers began to spark, looked up at the knight with a confident grin.
Electricity fired out from around him, catching the knight in the chest and shaking his entire form violently, while Sonic and Maya dodged to the side. The energy spheres around them dissipated, and the trio hit the ground.
Daisy rolled after Maya, who opened fire with her SMG, glowing blue bullets sparking against the ground.
"Ben!" Tony shouted, drawing his eyes away from the electricity just in time to see the Ashen One step back, grab hold of their sword and swing it toward him all in one swift motion.
He dodged backward, Tony coming in from under his swinging arm to fire a repulsor blast directly into the knight's chest.
A whirring sound alerted Ben right as Sonic impacted his back, slamming him into the stairs and trying to pin him.
"We aren't going to let you hurt her!" he repeated.
"We didn't come here to hurt anyone," Feedback remarked, his tail wrapping around Sonic's neck and tossing him off him, "But you are making that difficult."
Sonic darted back towards him as he got to his feet, aiming a soaring kick at his face. Ben deflected the blow, though Sonic used the momentum to ping-pong off the wall and kicked Tony in the back.
Tony stumbled forward, catching a gauntleted punch to the chest, which he returned with one of his own, backing it up with a repulsor blast that sent the Ashen One careening back up the stairs.
Daisy dodged out of the way of Sonic's next lunge, though that left her open for a shot from Maya, which sent electricity ripping through her body.
Feedback lashed outward with his antennae, piercing into the gun's side and drawing in a surprising amount of electricity from it. Maya looked down in surprise as her gun stopped firing, Daisy using that moment of hesitation to blast her into a wall with a wave of force.
Electricity crackling across his body Ben whirled on Sonic as he bolted towards him again and let out a roaring blast of electricity that sent the video game character out into the street as he crashed through the front doors.
All three of the video game characters flashed suddenly, their forms becoming less corporeal for a moment as they pushed themselves to their feet. As they resolidified, Feedback's antennas picked up a surge of electricity from above them.
"Think you can hold them off?" he asked, turning to look at Tony, "I think I can end this."
"Hold off a character pulled out of some teenager's favorite triple-A title." Tony snarked as he rugby tackled the Ashen One into the wall at the top of the stairs, "Shouldn't be too hard."
As if in response, the Ashen One's body began to burn, even more, a ball of fire building in their left hand as Tony pinned them to the wall.
"Or maybe not," Tony remarked, shielding his face as the Ashen One fought to angle the ignited hand towards him.
"Go, Ben!" Daisy ordered as she kicked Maya's feet out from beneath her and used a quake to her on the ground.
"Don't let him get to Abby!" Maya ordered, fighting to rise.
"On it!" Sonic cried, racing back into the fray.
The Ashen One turned their hand towards Ben instantly, an orb of orange flame filling his vision.
Dodging backward up the stairs, he managed to dodge the initial ignition, though the wave of heat that followed singed his skin painfully.
Then racing through the flames like a bat out of hell came Sonic, face set in steely resolve as he tackled Ben.
"Where do you think you're going?" Sonic asked cockily as he tugged on Feedback's antennae fighting to drag him back down the stairs.
Feedback gritted his teeth, electricity suddenly snapping to life across his entire body. With a loud "pop," Sonic was sent flying and, judging by the sound of crashing plate armor that followed, had collided with the Ashen One.
"Ow," Sonic stated loud enough for Ben to hear, drawing a small smile to his face as he bolted up the stairs two at a time before using his tail to fling him up onto the upper landing using the railing.
At the end of the hall, he spotted a cracked doorway bleeding glimmering white light against the relative darkness around it and raced towards it.
He grabbed hold of the door handle and pulled it open.
"I'm going to need you to call off your frien-whoa!" Ben began as he spotted the room's occupant with their back to him, only for the figure to jump, let out a frightened scream, and a ball of fire to crack into the wall right next to his head.
He froze, taking in the snarling yet adorable face of a Charmander, and then looked up at the person who had turned fearfully to stare at him.
She appeared to be fourteen, bundles into an oversized purple hoodie, heavy-looking black sweatpants, and a pair of taped-together sneakers. A frightened blue eye stared up at him from behind a curtain of aquamarine and cobalt blue hair.
"Stay away!" she ordered, her voice hoarse as the Charmander continued to advance on him, growling in an honestly adorable way, "I won't let you take me!"
Ben stood in silence for several moments before closing his eye and allowing his form to fade.
As he reopened his eyes, he took in the glowing fairy lights, the torn and duck-taped beanbag, and the piles upon piles of salvaged video game cartridges and boxes laying about the floor. He spotted the stolen back of electronics from earlier, laying next to a similar backpack filled with salvaged bags of chips and cans of soda.
All across the wall behind here, several tv-screens and a set of salvaged game consoles glowed and whirred kept powered somehow by some form of MacGyvering.
She was still staring at him worriedly as the Charmander continued to fume up at him.
"It's alright," he stated softly, kneeling to be at her level and giving her a comforting smile, "I'm not here to hurt you."
"I don't believe you." she muttered, "That's what people always say, and then they do it anyway."
The pain in her voice nearly broke his heart. The quick look away and the instinctual rubbing of her right shoulder managed to succeed.
"I'm not with AIM or anyone else that would ever try and hurt you." he stated softly, "I swear. I'm with the Avengers."
She gave him a sideways look, "You don't look like any Avenger I ever heard about."
He chuckled, "I'm new, which I know doesn't sound very believable."
"It doesn't," she affirmed.
"Hey! Get away from her!" Sonic snapped, darting over his back and placing himself between the two of them, "Did he hurt you?"
The video game character shot her a worried look, only for her to shake her head.
"Okay, good, but it's time you and your friends shove off dude!" the character stated aggressively, making a move to grab Ben.
"Wait." he said, holding up his hands in surrender, "I know you have no reason to trust me, but believe me when I say that I and the others are here to help if you let us."
"Help me?" Abby asked, confused, "You didn't even know I was here or who I am? Why would you even care about what happened to me?"
"Because you're scared." Ben stated softly, "Because you're a kid being hunted by some bad people, who had to face that alone for quite a bit of time possibly."
"She was never alone." Sonic snapped, "She had us."
"That's good then." Ben agreed, "She had friends, but right now, hers and mine are fighting for no real reason. I promise, from the depth of my heart, that I want to help you, okay?"
"O-okay," she stated. Sonic turned to look at her with a worried expression.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Don't worry, I'll bring you right back if things go wrong," she said softly.
"And that means I get to kick your butt, dude," Sonic said, pointing at Ben with a cocky smirk as he disappeared in a flash of pixels.
"Ben, what did you do?" Daisy asked over the comms, "They both just disappeared."
"Come upstairs; there's someone I think you're going to like to meet," he said back.
"What-what's your name?" the girl asked cautiously.
"Benjamin, but everyone calls me Ben." he returned with a smile, "What's yours?"
"I-Abby, call me Abby," she said insistently.

Daisy was fighting to contain the wide grin that wanted to escape her face as she stared down at the adorable video game character that was now perched on her lap.
She and Tony had done what Ben asked and found him sitting in front of a fourteen-year-old girl and a Charmander, which was now curled up in the girl's lap.
When they'd entered the room, the girl had stared at Tony in awed wonder, which he'd responded to with a joking wave and a laugh.
Her nerves must have gotten the better of her as almost instantly, three more characters emerged into existence.
A small purple bat was sitting atop the girl's head with a goofy grin on its face, while curled up next to her was a Yoshi, which Daisy had quickly realized was the character they had been chasing down in the first case going off their nervous looks he kept shooting them.
The last character had emerged to Daisy's delighted surprise and had toddled over to her with a curious expression before suddenly crawling up into her lap. Kirby was still sitting there contentedly, looking up at her every once in a while, his adorable eyes leaving her feeling like a giddy kid.
She caught Ben smirking over at her as he leaned on his hand before turning his eyes back to Abby, who had begun to explain how she'd come to be here, her eyes locked on Tony, who was also sitting cross-legged on the ground, his armor playing sentinel behind them on the stairs.
"Go on," he stated, as he absentmindedly tinkered with his faceplate.
"I was walking the streets the night the Dome happened," Abby stated softly, "I remember the wall of red energy passing over me followed by this blue smoke that got into my lungs. I remember everything going dark, and when I woke up I guess, I could do this."
"You're an Inhuman," Daisy noted with surprise.
"A what?" Abby queried, cocking her head slightly.
"You're like me," she replied with a smile, lifting her hands and vibrating them slightly.
"Oh," Abby said, her eyes widening slightly.
"What are you doing here, though?" Tony interjected, "Was your home in the Dome? Is there anyone that might be wondering where you are?"
Abby was quiet for a while, subconsciously hugging her created companions closer to herself as she stared at the ground.
"I don't have a home." she finally said quietly, "And no-no one's looking for me, except AIM."
Tears began to well up in the young teen's eyes, Yoshi resting his head on her's with a comforting noise, while Kirby hopped out of Daisy's lap and went over to hug her.
Ben looked disgruntled, and Tony was looking at her with a pensive face.
The former spoke up, looking like he wanted to reach out for her but catching himself, "Hey, it's alright, what about all this, hmm?"
He gestured around the room at the electronics specifically.
"I never felt like I belonged anywhere," Abby muttered, "But there were a few places I could go that allowed me to forget. The Arcade, but I never had the money to actually play the games, so I just watched other people, but a few of the game stores let you play demos."
She smiled softly, stroking the back of the Pokemon lying in her lap, "I could escape, I didn't need to worry, and there wasn't much I could play, but I loved it. Some of the workers there were friendly to me. Let me stay and play as long as I wanted."
"After the Dome hit, I had nowhere to go so, I went to the only place I felt safe." she stated, "And that's how I learned about what I could do."
"You weren't alone anymore," Ben stated comfortingly, Abby nodding in agreement.
"The Morlocks never found you?" Daisy asked, fighting another wide grin as Kirby toddled back over and got back into her lap.
"Who?" Abby asked, confused.
"A group of people like you that we're trying to help others get out of the Dome." Tony stated, "You made it out of the Dome on your own?"
"No on my own, no." Abby returned, blushing slightly, "I had Smash Brothers."
Ben cracked a smile at that, "And whomever you pulled out helped you get here?"
"Yeah, I took as much as I could from the store," Abby stated before muttering a bit quieter, "And some other places and tried to find someplace safe."
"What about AIM?" Daisy asked, "How did they find you?"
"I don't know." she replied, looking slightly panicked, "They just showed up one day. I don't know if they had some way of finding me, but they acted really kind at first, said they were here to help me. Maya didn't trust them, said they reminded her of Hyperion."
"Hyperion?" Tony asked, "Who's Hyperion?"
"It's a villain from Borderlands, one of her video games," Ben stated simply, nodding towards one of the piles.
Tony nodded, "If you don't mind me asking, then Abby, how do your powers work. How many characters can you make real? Do they remember you? What happens to their personalities?"
"Calm down, their Stark." Daisy snarked.
"What? This is sort of unprecedented." Tony said with a smile, gesturing to Abby, "I've never seen anything like what she can do before. We've got a little reality warper on our hands, by my estimate."
"Well, then let her answer." Ben stated evenly, giving the befuddled girl a kind smile, "Go on."
"As long as I know the game, I can call a character out of it." Abby began to explain, "I can only pull four out at a time, and when I panic or get scared, some just sort of appear. I don't have much control over it. They always remember me, and they stay pretty similar to how they are in-game, except they want to help me. I don't control them or anything. They're my friends."
Yoshi, Kirby, and the Bat nodded in unison with large smiles.
"That is ridiculously sweet." Tony said with a smirk, "Seriously, I think I'm getting a cavity just looking at this, especially you Tremors. I've never seen you smile this wide."
"Can it Stark." Daisy rebuked, aiming a small tremor at his head, causing his hair to blow backward, leaving him looking like a wild-eyed, goateed Bride of Frankenstein.
Abby giggled softly, eliciting a grin from Ben.
"Abby, do you mind if I talk to these two for a second?" Tony asked, gesturing at Ben and Daisy.
"O-okay," she said a bit nervously.
"Don't worry, it's nothing bad," he reassured.
He stood up. Daisy followed somewhat begrudgingly since it meant having to unseat Kirby, while Ben gave Abby one last reassuring smile as they turned and walked out into the hallway beyond.
"So, what do you think we should do with her?" Tony asked seriously.
"Well, we can't leave her here," Daisy stated.
"Well, obviously, but where do we take her?" Tony returned, "FRIDAY, any clue who she is?"
"With facial recognition banjaxed alongside your visor and only a first name, there isn't much I have to go off, Boss." the AI stated, turning the faceless head of the Iron Man suit to look at them.
"Right." Tony muttered, "All I'm thinking is that she's not like Mr. Amnesia here. She came from somewhere."
Ben rolled his eyes at the jab, "By the sound of it, I don't think that 'somewhere' was much of a home, to begin with. She's a runaway, and what none of us have the right to ask her right now is what she was running away from."
"Regardless, we can't leave her in an abandoned building scavenging for food alongside a bunch of sentient video game characters," Daisy stated, "She needs a real home."
"Xavier's?" Tony asked, giving Daisy a pointed look.
"Xavier's." she agreed, "Well, first the Tower, give her a night to acclimate around us for a short bit before introducing her to an entire group of strangers."
"Which we just need to convince her is the right move," Ben noted, turning back to look at her.
She was sitting quietly, humming to herself as Charmander chased Kirby around the room.
"That shouldn't be too hard." Tony muttered, scratching his chin, "We're pretty likable after all."
Daisy scoffed and turned to walk back into the room when a light started glowing on the Iron-Man armor.
"Scanners just picked up several armored vehicles pulling into the alleys around the building." FRIDAY stated, "Numerous heat-signatures, organic, artificial, and a few with signs of Extremis infusion."
"What?" Abby asked, appearing in the door frame with a terrified look on her face.
"Don't worry, kid." Tony remarked, with a smile, "AIM ain't got a thing on any of us."
"We'll keep you safe." Daisy returned.
"What if you can't?" she fired back, tears brimming in her eyes, several of her digital friends flashing out of existence except for Kirby, who was looking up at the young teen with a sad expression.
"Then why don't you help us?" Ben asked suddenly, kneeling again, "Show them once and for all. No one should mess with Abby or her friends."
"I-I don't, I can't make many, and if they get hurt, I can't bring them back out for a really long time," Abby stated, panicking slightly.
Ben looked up towards the screen lined along the wall, a wide grin crossing his face.
"Course you can. I've got an idea." Ben turned to look at the others, "Think you can hold them off for a bit."
"How long?" Tony asked.
"Just a minute or so, I just need them distracted." Ben returned.
"Oh, I can definitely do that," Tony said with a smirk as he stepped back into the Iron Man armor, "Is there any way up onto the roof?"
Abby nodded, pointing down the hall, "Other side of the building."
"Perfect." Tony remarked, turning to Daisy, "Let's go."
There was a flash of light as Maya and the Ashen One emerged, followed by Sonic.
"Not without us," Maya stated, pulling out a stream-lined shotgun.
"This is so weird," Tony muttered as Maya took the lead down the hallway. Kirby stuck his hands up to Daisy as if asking her to pick him up, to which she immediately obliged."
"What are you going to do?" Daisy asked, turning back to Ben as he closed his eyes.
He didn't answer as first as his skin suddenly turned pitch black, vivid glowing green lines emerging across his body as a glowing green circle emerged in place of his eyes. His body shivered in an oddly liquid fashion as his arms extended and widened.
"I'm going to help Abby with a little Upgrade," Ben stated, his voice sounding slightly digitized.

Tony looked out over the alleyways as AIM's forces arrayed themselves below them.
It looked like a good fifty people, not counting the several drones that floated about or the larger bots at the backline near the armored vehicles they'd come in.
He was still tweaking his mask as the others paced about the roof.
Daisy was muttering quietly to herself, listing off strategies for sending the most enemies flying at one time while Kirby toddled behind her, not really seeming to take in the events going on around them.
The Knight was standing silently, not that they did much else, with their head turned down slightly, a large bow in hand.
Maya had switched out her shotgun for a very strange, almost alien-looking rifle that hummed with electricity.
Meanwhile, the blue hedgehog was tapping his foot impatiently as he stared out at the assembled AIM soldiers.
"This is more than they've ever sent before," Maya stated, a determined grin on her face.
"So they've pulled out the stops." Tony remarked, "Means what's going to happen next is going to be all the more embarrassing for them."
"FRIDAY, activate speakers please," Tony stated, putting the finishing touches on his mask.
"Done," she replied.
"Attention Asshole Intimidating Megafans!" Tony called out, his voice echoing across the alleyways.
"This is Tony Stark, the one who kicked the ass of your boss a couple of years back." Tony remarked conversationally, "You know the one that gives all manic inventors a bad name? I'm only going to say this once: Go back to whatever cyber-cafe you all crawled out of right now, or prepare for your day to take a really shitty turn. So says the Avengers."
The only response was the sound of a sniper firing, a bullet bolting right past Tony's head, and slamming into the brickwork behind him.
He immediately fitted his fixed faceplate back to his helmet and smirked as FRIDAY immediately found the shooter.
"Well, sir, since you asked so nicely, one ass-kicking coming right up!" Tony snarked as he aimed both repulsors at him and fired. The sniper caught both in the back as he tried to dodge and ate a face full of concrete as Tony stepped off the building and hit the ground in a crouch.
There was a soft bouncing sound to his right, and he was slightly surprised to see Kirby staring up at him with a wide smile which turned into a deep frown as the little guy rounded on AIM.
"You were not the backup I was expecting, but you'll do."
Daisy waited for several seconds as Sonic bolted off the eastern side, spinning into a rolling ball that began to bounce its way across AIM's forces.
Maya and the Ashen One began firing from the roof bolts of bright blue energy and hilariously large arrows raining down the western alleyway.
She winced slightly as a few folks suddenly found their shoulders perforated by arrows the size of a javelin and turned to Maya.
"You coming?" she asked, vibrations coalescing around her legs.
"Right behind you." Maya stated, flipping a switch on the side of her odd sniper, causing the internal lighting to turn orange, "Ash, you good?"
The knight didn't respond, instead dropping their bow, pulling an immense greatsword from hammerspace, which immediately ignited, and then stepping off the side facing west.
"Seems like." Quake stated, "Let's go."
Quake burst into the air, new vibrations building in her arms as she aimed for the middle of the AIM soldiers grouped in the southern alleyway.
She hit the ground with a dull boom, the wave of force that followed sending several people soaring into the air where they were snared by Maya, hanging there in scrunched-up balls.
Several ignited with panicked screams as Maya fired off several shots, their smoking but still breathing bodies crashing to the ground as she stowed her rifled and pulled out a shotgun.
Daisy grinned slightly, still amazed at the situation she found herself in even as she deflected the butt of a rifle and kicked the attacker backward, and twisted to quake another AIM soldier into a dumpster.
Tony had similar feelings as he watched a pink ball of adorableness absolutely devastate several AIM soldiers while spinning like a top.
"Ben, how's that plan going?" Tony asked as he ripped the sniper he'd bodied from the ground and tossed him forcefully into a bunch of his fellows.

"Just need one more second," Upgrade stated.
"Well, we can definitely do that," Tony muttered as he watched Sonic ping-pong his way between several walls and smashed clean through a drone, screeching to a halt with a thumb's up before darting away.
"This day is so goddamn weird," Tony remarked.
"It's about to get weirder," Upgrade remarked as he finished melding into Abby's setup. The screens and game consoles shifted and grew, melding into one immense monitor atop a humming tower glowing with the alien's single circular eye.
"You ready?" he asked, his head extending out to come around Abby's shoulder to look at the video screens that now showed the battle going on outside.
"To do what?" Abby asked, slightly confused, "I can't call anymore."
"Have you tried?" Ben asked, "Because I get the feeling with a little help from yours truly you'd be surprised at what you can pull off."
"I-." Abby went quiet for a second.
"All you can ever do is try," Ben said supportively.
"O-okay." she said, stepping towards the screen and closing her eyes, "Who should I pick?"
"Whomever you want," he returned, "Have fun with it!"
"Right," Abby stated, a tiny smile crossing her face as she concentrated.

Tony grunted as he shrugged off a bolt of energy from one of the bots, returning fire with a small rocket on the back of his forearm.
"Cavalry incoming," Ben remarked as a booming crash sounded off to his right.
A looming figure in a strange diving suit, with a drill in place of its one hand, let out a low bellow and charged one of the AIM robots, piercing its spinning weapon clean through it and turning it to scrap.
A gorilla in a bowtie bolted past him, grabbing an AIM soldier in both hands and on foot and going into a rapid spin, tossing them about like rag-dolls.
A girl, at least he thought it was a girl with spiked blonde hair and an immense sword, leaped into the fray on the eastern alley, slamming people out of the way with the flat side of their cartoonishly large weapon.
Daisy smirked as one of the AIM soldiers suddenly fell to the ground cowering as an oddly cute pitch-black creature looking almost like a twisted jester grabbed hold of him and dragged him to the ground.
"I don't want to be heartless!" the guy cried as he writhed right before the creature head-butted him and turned to give her a rather disconcerting look before bolting towards another AIM soldier.
There was a strange robotic screech from behind her, followed by what looked like a mechanical ostrich bolting right past her and tackling an AIM robot to the ground before ripping its head from its shoulders and shaking it to pieces.
Daisy shook herself out of her surprise as a glowing hand pulled her backward, out of the path of a bouncing grenade that exploded into an electrified snare that wrapped around two AIM soldiers that had been trying to control the strange inky-black character.
"Head in the game," Maya remarked, whirling about and slamming the butt of her shotgun into a goon's face with a satisfying crack.
"That is almost ironic coming from you." Daisy snarked as she palmed a drone out of the air with a quake-powered strike.
Maya shrugged playfully as she blasted another drone out of the air.

Tony felt incredibly confident in their chances as he saw AIM folding around him like paper when suddenly things changed.
It was like a switch had been flipped as one of the soldiers suddenly bolted for the gorilla, his entire body bleeding orange smoke.
"Get back!" Tony ordered, the ape looked at him before gaging the charging soldier, but by then, it was too late as the man went up in an explosion of Extremis-fueled fire.
The character flew backward, crumbling into a heap behind Tony as AIM pushed forward in unison.
Tony braced as bullets began to ping off his armor, and he spotted the others getting pushed back as well.
The girl with the immense sword used it as a shield, bullets bouncing off it as suppressing fire rained down upon her.
The thing in the diving suit was pinned down by several drones, electric tethers pulling its arms apart as it struggled to break free.
The Ashen One was facing another Extremis empowered soldier, lopping off one of their arms only for it to grow back in moments as they fought to rip the armor from its form.
An explosion south of the building drew Tony's attention, even as he activated his unibeam, planning on making short work of what remained in front of him before helping the others.
"Daisy, do you copy?" he asked.
"I'm fine," Daisy stated, as she dragged the frantically shooting Maya backward, "One of the Extremis-amped soldiers bull-rushed us. Maya's down."
"Not yet," Maya stated through gritted teeth, firing on the approaching AIM forces. After the soldier had exploded, the remaining bots had stepped forward, barriers emerging that shrugged off all of the Borderland's character's shots and her quakes.
The strange black creature was hiding behind Daisy as they backed up, while the bird had placed itself between them and a hail of bullets from the AIM soldiers, which passed through the robot's barriers without even an ounce of resistance.
"It's like they adapted," Daisy said over her comms.
"They came prepared. I'll be there soon," Tony remarked, as the unibeam continued to build, "Just hold on."
Just as the unibeam prepared to fire, a flat disc came firing out of the fray.
It immediately mag-locked to his armor, his entire suit locked up as the power was redirected into the mechanism like a metallic leech.
"Crap," Tony muttered as the soldiers closed in on him, and the little pink critter that was cowering behind his legs,
AIM leveled their guns on him, eerily quiet and almost robotic in their motions.
One lowered their gun to point at Kirby, their finger on the trigger.
"Hey, asshat! All eyes on me!" Tony ordered, trying to move the armor even an inch in the soldier's direction.
There was a flash of blue energy. As the gun fired twice, one of the bullets suddenly went high, snapping into the disc on his shoulder, damaging it enough for him to regain control of moving.
"You're too sl-slow…." Tony turned as Sonic's voice trailed off, the character slumping to the ground and dissipating into pixels as the other bullet clattered to the ground.

"No!" Abby cried, holding the sides of her head as Sonic dissipated, her breath becoming frantic as more of her companions were injured and pushed back.
She began to cry, "I can't do this. I'm gonna be left alone again."
"No, no, you aren't," Ben stated, a hand reaching out to hold the side of her head, "He's going to be okay. They all will be."
"How?!" Abby asked, angrily trying to shrug his hand off.
"Because of you," Ben stated earnestly. "They've protected you for so long. Now it's time for you to be their hero."
"I don't-, how can I do that?" she asked, "I'm just a kid."
"You're right, and you didn't deserve this." Ben stated, "All I can ask of you is to be brave for yourself and your friends, who right now need your help more than anyone else. Their strength is your strength in the most literal way."
She nodded slowly, tears still leaking out of her eyes.
"We can win this." Ben stated, "You can win this, and when this is over, you're never going to have to worry about AIM bothering you again."
"Promise?" Abby stated.
"Absolutely," Ben replied.
"Be their hero…" she muttered to herself before repeating it a bit louder, "Be their hero."

Tony had been pushed back to the front steps, Kirby hiding behind him as the girl he'd now realized was, in actuality, a feminine-looking guy was holding his oversized blade in one hand and supporting the severely hurt ape on the opposite shoulder. The Ashen One was to his right, weapon at the read, armor dented their breath slightly ragged. The creature in the diving suit was restrained by the drones, several soldiers aiming guns at it as it struggled off to the side.
Daisy held the fading Maya, the other characters staring down the slowly approaching AIM forces, the metallic bird screeching in defiance. At the same time, the black figure sat prepared to spring into battle.
Pixels were dusting off each of the characters as they stared down the AIM forces, standing shoulder to shoulder with these real-life heroes in a defiant last stand.
A low tune began to fill the air, each of the characters stiffening as the tune slowly began to crescendo.
The dusting of the pixels ceased as a wide smile crossed each of the characters with a visible face.
The blonde bolted forward, their body glimmering as they sent a glowing arc of energy fire free of their blade, sending AIM soldiers careening backward.
The gorilla snorted angrily and spun his arm in a cartoonish fashion before launching a punch that sent one of the remaining robots careening backward so hard it crashed into the armored vehicle at the back of the alleyway, flipping it onto its top and sending it scraping across the street several feet.
The Ashen One ignited in flames, buffeting AIM soldiers back with a slash after slash of their blade.
The Dive Suit let out a rumbling roar as its arm was suddenly covered in ice, ten AIM soldiers freezing solid in a wave of ice.
On the opposite side of the building, Maya surged back to life and lifted her hand into a clenched fist, the robots lifting into the air in tandem, crushing like soda cans.
Daisy darted forward, slapping her hands together into an air-shattering clap that sent the remainder of AIM forces on their side careening through their air alongside a wave of torn-up concrete, brick, and random bits of detritus left around the alleyway.
"Wow," Maya remarked, giving Daisy an appreciative look, "Impressive."
"Thanks, picked it up from a friend," Daisy remarked with a smile as the metallic bird began almost playfully bobbing any AIM soldier that tried to get up, knocking them unconscious.
Tony watched as the remaining AIM soldiers seemed to shake themselves out of their robotic fugue and turn to run. He bolted after them, aiming a repulsor blast at the fleeing enemies.
He caught several in the back, stunning them to the ground.
Two soldiers suddenly stopped, waving the others on, and bolted back towards him, their bodies beginning to smoke.
Tony planted himself, firing bolt after bolt of repulsor energy, but they shrugged off the blasts as they continued to race toward him.
Kirby suddenly rolled up and planted himself in front of Tony, and just as he was about to order him to get out of the way, he opened his mouth wide.
There was a sudden rushing sound as both the Extremis soldiers were pulled off their feet and were pulled into the character's wide mouth.
Tony stared utterly aghast as he then turned and spat out a strange animated star that cracked into the wall and popped, revealing the extremis-infused soldiers, unconscious and covered in a disconcerting amount of sparkling saliva.
Kirby looked up at Tony and let out a giddy squeal.
"That was, quite honestly, one of the most horrific things I have ever seen," Tony remarked flatly as Kirby frowned slightly.
The rest of the AIM agents had been pulled back by the sudden intake of air and were now staring at Tony and the adorable little monster, their whole bodies tense.
"Uh, yeah, unless you want that," Tony remarked, pointing downward at Kirby, "To happen to you, I wouldn't take another step toward that car."
They all looked at each other, and before he could react, they all vanished in a sudden curtain of glowing blue light.
Several moments later, Abby's friends had tied up the defeated AIM forces and left them for SHIELD after Daisy made a call. Abby was currently sitting on Ben's shoulders with a tired smile on her face, while the assembled characters turned in unison to stare at Daisy and the others.
The Ashen One nodded silently to each of them before disappearing, followed by the Big Daddy, which reached up to ruffle Abby's hair gently as it did so.
"That was rough. I'm glad we pulled through," Cloud muttered, Daisy fighting to keep her inner geek contained as he too disappeared.
Donkey Kong grabbed Tony, the four of them, in a tight hug with a chuckle before setting them down and disappearing.
He was followed by Kirby, who leaped up into her arms with a wide grin, babbling sweetly at her.
Rolling her eyes at the smirking smile Ben shot her, she wrapped the little puffball in the tightest of hugs before he vanished.
Maya was the last to look up at Abby, "If you need anything, call me back out, Abby."
The teen nodded with a smile, "I will."
"Good, you have everything?" Maya asked.
Ben nodded, patting the two oversized duffles hanging from his shoulders, "Yep, all squared away."
"Awesome." she stated, reaching up and squeezing Abby's hand before stepping back, "He'll be back soon, so don't think too much about it."
Abby nodded sadly and clutched at the sonic pin on her backpack a bit tighter.
"We should do this again. As screwy as today was, it was pretty fun fighting alongside you guys and fighting you guys." Maya said with a wide smile as she looked at Daisy, "Especially you, you flaming badass."
"Th-thank you," she replied, a bit befuddled by the character's rather emphatic compliment.
Maya disappeared with a wave leaving the trio of Avengers and Abby alone.
"What now?" Abby asked.
"Well, we wait for SHIELD to arrive and collect these morons," Tony said, kicking one of the AIM soldiers as he looked up at Abby, "And then we find you a proper bed to sleep in, and a hot meal, not exactly in that order."
"I don't have to go with SHIELD, do I?" she asked nervously, staring down at the others.
"We were thinking you could spend a night or two at the tower," Daisy stated, "Before taking you to Xavier's Institute. It's a place where you'd learn to fully use your powers, safely and alongside people who understand what you've gone through."
"Unless, of course, you don't want to hang out with the Avengers." Tony joked, "In which case, we can ship you off to stuffy old Xavier's tonight."
"No!" Abby exclaimed, sitting forward suddenly and nearly knocking Ben over, "Sorry, I mean no, the Tower sounds cool."
"Great, I'm sure the others will love to meet you, Abby…."Daisy began, "Do you have a last name? You don't have to answer, but it might be something the SHIELD agents will want to know, and if you'd rather talk to us, that is entirely understandable."
"Fetch." the teen said after a few seconds of quiet, "My name is Abigail Fetch."
"Well, Miss Fetch, how does Big Belly Burger sound?" Ben asked with a smirk, "Daisy's buying."
Tony smirked as Daisy blinked several times and then pinched the bridge of her nose, "Right, right, just try and not eat her out of house and home."
"No promises!" Ben crowed with a smile, earning a punch in the shoulder from Daisy while Abby laughed.
The jovial mood continued as the quartet waited for SHIELD to arrive, the setting sun painting the sky a beautiful orangish-red.

The Palace of the Allfather, Asgard, 23:59 AST

The sky was aflame as Thor fell onto the steps of his home, clutching the bleeding wound on his side.
"Father!" Thor roared, limping up the steps, "Mother!"
He stumbled into the great hall as soldiers rushed past him, spears in hand, their faces blanching as they stared at his minced face and bleeding torso, yet they took their posts anyway.
Thor looked up, seeing his father standing before his throne, talking in hushed tones with his mother, before kissing her forehead. She turned to leave and froze when she saw her battered son, her face aghast. She took a step towards him before turning to look at Odin instead of leaving the room through a side door.
"Father, what is happening?" Thor demanded as Mjolnir sparked and sputtered in his hand, "This entity that besieges Asgard is like nothing I have ever seen before."
"A reckoning, my son," Odin replied, his brow furrowing as he stepped down the dais and placed a hand on his son's forehead, sealing his wounds with his magic.
"Where is mother going?" Thor asked, standing taller as his wounds sealed.
"I can not say, my son." Odin stated, "For if I do, then the creature brought to bear against us will surely know it as well."
"What would you have me do?" Thor asked, "How can we defeat this being?"
"We can't," Odin stated with finality as he walked back up the dais and fell into his throne.
Thor was stunned, his father taking a moment to look at him square on.
"This is my charge to you, Thor." Odin stated, "Free your Brother, bring him to the Tesseract, then flee together."
"Have the Norns taken your mind?!" Thor cried, "You say what happened to Midgard because of Loki and that damned Tesseract!"
"I know, but what's coming is worse." Odin stated evenly, "And your brother is one of the craftiest beings in the universe. If one could hide from her, it would be him."
Thor made to argue when the doors to the palace shattered inward, only to be ripped back outward and scattered to dust.
White Masked Dark Elves charged in, their blasters searing through the assembled guards. Several managed to rally only for spears of glowing orangish-red energy to catch them in the chest and lift them off their feet as they burned away to nothing.
She had arrived, resplendent in her terrible majestic, glowing skin black as the void, her eyes and hair glowing fountains of burning orangish-red energy.
A single black gem was high-lighted by a porcelain mask atop her forehead while she was dressed in a simple gown of the purest white cloth. She was adorned in a silver metallic collar, and two bracelets made of the same metal rested upon her wrists. Empty sockets were set into all three adornments.
A set of wings, black as the night sky and set with glimmering red stars, jutted from her back, strange roiling shapes darting within them like fish behind the glass of an aquarium.
She walked down through the air, ash and dust scattering as the Dark Elves kneeled before her. Her burning eyes focused on Odin with utter contempt as she halted.
"Go, boy," Odin ordered, as two pillars of magical energy emerged from the floor and formed a glowing wall of light that separated Thor and her forces from the two ancient beings.
Thor stared at his father for a moment longer, a deep chill setting into his heart as she turned to look at him and bolted away, feeling like a child.
"My Lady, I have heard tales of your majesty," Odin stated as he stood his entire form burning with the magics gifted to him by the World Tree, "But nothing could have prepared me for the terror that walks with you, nor the cries of the body you have stolen. Even still, we are between the pillars, as befits two of our stature, and so that will stay until your demands are known."
"I know of you Odin Allfather, Lord of the Hanged, Glad-O-War, Father to Death, Thunder, and Lies, Master of the Ten Realms, He of Ravens and Wolves, Second Son of Bor." the Lady stated, the room darkening with every title she spat out, "Your father lies dead, so my grievance lies with you. I, the Guardian of the Lost and Forgotten, Daughter of Eternity, Mother of Infinity, come seeking my daughter."
She closed her eyes, the room becoming pitch black except for the pillars roaring with the light of the Bifrost, "And you are in my way."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The Lady attacked first, launching tendrils of energy at Odin that burnt the air as they shot towards him.
He smacked the first aside with his spear, sliced the second out of the air, and ducked the third as it punched clean through his throne.
He returned fire with his spear, lances of rainbow-colored light screaming towards her.
She deflected two with a wave of energy, while the third caught her in the chest. She was blasted back several feet but managed to dig in her heels, stopping her from leaving the confinement of the pillars.
The light dissipated as her form shimmered, her eyes catching fire.
She raised her right hand, clenching it into a fist as tendrils of dark magic emerging from her wings. The floor shattered in several places, pieces of masonry floating into the air like earthen bubbles before sucking toward the tendrils forming six great bird-like talons.
Odin grimaced as she sent them grasping towards him, parting the first down the middle using his spear, piercing another into the steps of his throne and rolling under the next as they scrambled to grasp him.
Chanting in the language of the Vanir, a runic pattern of gold and green emerged before his outstretched palm. The rune detached from his arm, growing in size until finally a pair of immense wolves followed by a pair of ravens.
Spectral and resplendent the four animals stalked around their master as he summoned his spear back into his hand.
The wild talons struck once more, Freki and Greki lunging to meet some with tooth and claw, with Hugin and Munin lancing directly towards the Lady.
Their bodies grew until they looked more comparable to feathered wyverns as they struck for her.
She deflected the Hugin with a black barrier while Munin went low and caught her in the stomach with his beak.
Odin deflected another of the claws, only for another to strike him from behind, flinging him high into the air. Using his spear, he arrested his momentum by plunging it into the claw, keeping him within the pillars.
The Lady snarled as Hugin and Munin continued to batter against her barrier, beaks, and talons a flurry of razor-sharp motion. A ball of energy gathered in her other hand, which she released with a scream.
Odin severed the talon with a roar, hitting the ground and casting his spear forward to intercept the orb.
There was a colossal explosion as the power of the World Tree met the chaos of Destruction.
Odin was blasted off his feet, his spectral hounds grinding across the ground beside him as the eruption of magic nearly shattered the ancient power of the Pillars.
Odin looked up, drawing his spear to his hand as the feebly twitching and singed bodies of Hugin and Munin lay sprawled across the ground.
As the smoke continued to roil in the epicenter of the explosion, he swore he saw movement, drawing all his power into himself and then sending it cascading into the tip of his spear. He lunged forward, Freki and Greki following behind with a snarling howl.
The blade of Gungnir extended as he ran, forming into a lance of rainbow energy as the smoke cleared, revealing the furious expression of Lady.
She screamed at him, twin blades of orange-red energy emerging from her palms, her jaw pulling the mask open into a maw of porcelain fangs as orangish-red energy burned in the back of her throat.
She lunged for him, ducking his first swing and slashing one of her blades across his stomach.
Freki lunged, his fangs sinking deeply into her other arm, wrenching it to the side. She snarled and turned just as Greki did the same on the other side, catching her wrist and pulling it backward.
She screamed as Odin reared back, punching his spear directly into her torso, a flair of rainbow light piercing the darkness that made up her body. Her scream hit a fever pitch and crescendoed into an entirely different voice as she raised her head to the sky, as the burning orange light disappeared replaced by a pale pink.
She dropped her head, a deep tired fear in her eyes as her body went limp on the end of his spear.
"Help me," the young woman choked out, tears made from pink light pouring free of her eyes and across the mask.
Odin pulled the spear free and reached out to cast a spell of healing on her, "It's alright, child, you're safe.."
She reached up for his hand, a look of utter hope on her face, only for the gem set into the mask to pulse.
A corona of reddish-orange energy erupted from her, followed by an echoing scream as the wings unfurled and extended even further, igniting into a blaze of obsidian black and sunset orange flames.
Her head ignited like a matchstick, the white porcelain mask taking on a silver sheen as the black and orange flames engulfed it.
Greki let out a pitiful cry as the hand snared in his mouth caught fire. As the wolf released her, she grabbed him by the neck and tossed him angrily at Odin.
They fell backward as the returned Lady let out another scream, sounding much more like a bird of prey as her mane of tendrils lanced downwards, punching through Freki with a vengeance.
The great wolf howled in pain that was immediately silenced as he vanished in a flare of golden mist that dissipated like fog under a noon-day sun.
Odin fought to rise, only to feel his own weapon pierce through his stomach, pinning him to the ground as the distorted, monstrous Mother of Infinity bared down on him. Her head seemed to shift before his eyes, the fanged porcelain visage gaining a wide set of horns or a thinner crown of antlers as if she was drawing the beings that haunted his sleep into herself.
The pillars vanished as he felt himself being drawn into the Odinsleep, the ancient magic that bound him working to empower him as his own weapon dug deeper into the slurry it had already made of his organs.
"Don't slip away from me just yet," she stated, her face taking on a more humanoid visage once more, "I need you awake to witness this."
She released the spear and raised her hand, even as she fired a blast of energy to silence Odin's remaining wolf. Odin felt himself being lifted off the ground and onto his throne, which suddenly rent and bent around him, pinning him in place, while a spectral hand forced his remaining eye open.
She smiled at him as she returned to the visage she had arrived in, the display of just a little of her inner rage flickering away as the Pillars failed. The Dark Elves darted to her side, to whom she turned with a smile.
"Watch him, young ones." she stated, "Once I have my daughter, you can do as you please."
The Dark Elves nodded, raising their rifles to face him as she sauntered away. Odin watched her go, not moving, not saying a word but hoping silently to himself that his sons were prepared.

Loki paced about his room, head tilted towards the ceiling as he concentrated, hear the sounds of destruction echoing above him, followed by a much closer battle punctuated by feral screaming much, much nearer to him.
"Loki," the Trickster looked down, surprised as he spotted his brother staring at him with a combination of fear, loathing, and hope. He was heavily wounded, holding a seeping gut wound.
"Thor, what is happening up there?" he asked with a mischievous lilt, "Looks like a bit of fun."
"We don't have time for this." his brother muttered as the force-field keeping Loki in disappeared, "We need to go."
Loki stared at him, slightly stunned, "You're letting me out?"
"Normally, I would leave you to rot here for some time for what you did," Thor stated, electricity crackling across his hammer, "But something ancient has come for Asgard, and despite everything you have done, our Father is putting his trust in you."
Loki's biting retort died in his throat at the mention of their father
"Come with me," Thor ordered, "Now."
Loki followed mutely, more than a little frightened about what must have pushed his father to seek his aid.
They ran towards the Vault, and Loki felt his steps slowing as they entered the room, and Thor stopped before a specific pinnacle.
The Tesseract. A perfect cube filled with roiling blue stars, nebulas, galaxies, and pure energy. It was pulsing oddly, like a heartbeat in a way Loki had never seen before, regardless of the time he'd spent with it.
"Take it," Thor stated, his face a mixture of dread and forced acceptance.
"This is what Father is trusting me with?" Loki asked, baffled, "Is this your attempt at a trick?"
"He's trusting you, Loki," Thor stated earnestly, "You are cleverer than most folk I have met in my entire life, excluding perhaps Ser Stark. He stated that you are the only one that can hide the Tesseract from the being seeking it."
"Who-" Loki began, only for the door to the Vault to melt into a pool of slag as a winged woman that seemed to be made of the night sky set aflame floated through, hate radiating off her even as she stared at them impassively from behind a porcelain mask.
"Loki now!" Thor commanded as he charged towards her, as the rebuilt Destroyer emerged from the wall to join in the confrontation.
Loki snatched up the Tesseract and darted to the back of the Vault, a blood-curdling scream following him as Thor tossed his hammer and the Destroyer unfurled its face and let fire.
There was a blinding flash, the sound of thunder, shearing metal and shattering stone, and Loki suddenly found himself airborne.
He blinked several times, clutching the Tesseract to his chest, and looked back to see the Vault was gone, a perfectly spheroid hole cutting clean through the palace's dungeon levels and revealing the burning city of Asgard beyond. Loki surged to his feet as he watched the shattered remains of the Destroyer tumble into the city below.
"Give her to me!" the being demanded as he whirled towards her. Her eyes were almost desperate as she stared at him, her hand outstretched for the Tesseract, even as the other held a snarling blade of orange and black fire.
Thor wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"Her?" Loki asked, holding up the Tesseract, watching the being's eyes follow it with the deepest longing, "The Tesseract?"
"You are far too young to know her true name," the being muttered, "too naive to understand what you truly hold in your hand, but I feel your touch upon her from a prior meeting. You used her, forced her to serve the Titan.
She spat the title out like the foulest of curses as she stepped closer and closer to Loki, ignorant of the incantations he was whispering under his breath.
"I used it, yes," Loki stated, blanching slightly as the entity's face snapped fully towards him, the hatred in her faze feeling almost like a physical blow, "Why do you want it, hmm, because let me tell you, it can work in a pinch when it comes to invading worlds. Not very good at keeping them invaded, though."
He heard an ever-familiar whirring sound and gave the being a smirk even as it lashed out at him with the blade. The blade slashed cleanly through the illusion, which gave her a playful wink as it tossed the Tesseract backward into his waiting hands as he flashed back into existence. She darted towards him a second too late as Thor burst out of the ruined dungeon, catching Loki around the torso and firing away from the palace.
Her scream followed them, and as he looked back, he could see her launch into the air like a comet, chasing after them.
Thor weaved through the city-scape with expert care, barely pausing as he shattered clean through a strange, almost ray-shaped ship, racing towards the edge of the world disk, opposite the Bifrost.
Loki whirled his head around to find their pursuer and blanched as the burning comet unfurled into a black and sandstone color firebird nearly the size of a Chitauri Leviathan.
"Thor!" Loki roared as the Phoenix opened its porcelain beak and fired a ball of fire at them.
The blast sent them both spiraling through the air, Mjolnir falling free of Thor's grasp as they tumbled. Thinking quickly, Loki concentrated on the Tesseract as he was cast free of Thor's arm.
He found himself suspended in a tunnel of blue light for a moment and then found himself deposited on the ground on the very edge of Asgard. Thor was in the center of a crater, struggling to his feet, and the being had landed several yards away, turning back into her normal form as she did so. He could feel her eyes burning into him from where she stood, and she began to dart towards him unnaturally quickly.
"Go!" Thor roared, summoning Mjolnir to his hands and sending his hammer rocketing towards her, catching her in the torso, sending her careening to the side, but outside of being knocked aside, she seemed unperturbed as she sent a tendril of energy whipping towards Loki.
Thor intercepted it, a scream leaving his lips as it struck him in his open wound. He summoned Mjolnir back to his hand as the being seemed to go intangible and phase through the ground, rising before them with an orb of black fire burning in her hands.
"Run!" Thor roared as the fireball roared toward the two of them. Thor pushed him off the edge of Asgard with one hand while bracing with the other, and Loki urged the Tesseract to take him anywhere but here.

Thor saw a flash of blue light out of the corner of his eyes as he swung Mjolnir batting the fireball aside and tossing it towards the figure. She shifted to the side, not as if she dodged but as if she had never been standing in the path of his throw, to begin with.
She then surged forward, catching Thor by the neck and, with a shocking amount of strength, pushed him back so that he was hanging from her grip off the side of Asgard.
"You don't know what you just cost me!" she screamed, furious tears leaking from her blazing eyes, burning ashen lines down the porcelain mask.
"A weapon you would have used in some misguided conquest?" Thor muttered as she choked him.
She chuckled madly, her eyes going wide as the grip on his neck tightened considerably, "You would lecture me on misguided conquest, Asgardian!?"
"We are the guardians of the Nine Realms, saviors, heroes." Thor choked, "Asgard will survive you."
She stared at him for a moment, "You have no clue how much of what you just spoke to me was a lie, do you?"
Gritting his teeth, he opened his hand, summoning Mjolnir towards him. The hammer rose into the air and shot towards his assailant's head.
To his surprise, she whirled and caught it, holding the head as it strained against her, fighting to return to his grip.
Thor stared aghast as she flipped it around, holding it by the hilt and looking it over curiously.
"You were made from a solar storm," the figure muttered, seemingly speaking to the hammer itself, "No, the solar storm."
The hammer crackled with black electricity as if in response.
"So much power, trapped inside something so comparably small," she muttered, the gem on her forehead seeming to pulse, "Your freedom traded for loyalty."
She squeezed the hilt so hard it cracked, and the hammer seemed to spark in defiance.
"A fool's choice." the figure muttered, and with that, she tossed Mjolnir off the edge of Asgard.
Thor reached out for it, summoning it to his hand, but it did not return.
"Now for you little Asgardian, let me free you of your lies." the figure stated, her burning eyes searing into his own as he found himself unable to blink.
He fought to struggle, to break free of her grasp, to cry out for aid, but instead, his voice had been stolen from him as a burning blade emerged in her free hand.
She lifted it agonizingly slowly, pointing the tip at the center of his forehead, and pushed.
The pain was excruciating, his head aching with a sudden all-encompassing pulse. He believed she meant to end him, but as quickly as the pain began, it ceased as she drew the blade back.
His eyes fell to it, seeking burnt blood, but instead, it was slick with a strange silverish white liquid that dripped upwards before dissipating into smoke.
She then threw him off the side of Asgard, and as he fell, he saw more of that liquid dripping upwards towards his home as he fell further and further.
He was falling, but why?
Who had done this to him?
Why had they done it to him?
Had he deserved it?
"Who am I?" he muttered as he left the gravity of the strange floating island above him, the void surrounding him.
He felt his ice begin to crackle across his skin as he lapsed into unconsciousness, only for the friendly voice of an older man to reach his fading, broken self.
"That won't do."

Back atop Asgard, the Seventh marched back within the palace, her fury burning across her entire form.
Standing in the center of the great hall was Malekith, the charred side of his face turned towards her with a deep grin as he stared at the feebly struggling Odin.
"Masterful work, my Lady." the Dark Elf King stated, clapping his hand together emphatically, "May I finish the job."
"No," she stated, and for a second, his eyes took on the same obsidian sheen of the gem on her forehead. His smile fell, but he stepped back with a bow.
"He will live, to know the pain of being bereft of a child." she stated, staring at Odin, her entire body softly crackling with flame, "To see one used and stolen away."
He reached her hand skyward and shattered the mural that rested on the ceiling, revealing a more violent depiction with Odin standing side by side with a young dark-haired woman.
"I think she might thank me, though." the Lady stated, staring up at the girl, "After all, in a way, she is mine too."
She turned back to Odin, and his remaining eye widened as her form shifted into that of a red-haired woman dressed in furs, resplendent as she stood amongst deep orangish-red colored flames.
"It is you," he muttered as the Odinsleep was finally allowed to take her.
"No," the woman stated as she turned away, "But it will be. Two halves, unto one whole."
He blinked, and she was gone, the Dark Elves gone with her, his brain muddled and confused as thoughts of his first love carried him into sleep.

New York City, 23:59 EDT

Onlookers spotted a falling star crash into the water just outside New York Harbor, nearly striking a lone fishing boat.
Unbeknownst to them, the falling star and the boat were anything but.
Mjolnir cracked through the helm of Raft, seawater pouring through after it, a bulkhead slamming shut behind it. The ancient weapon, or more accurately the storm within, raged at the loss of its master and at the reminder of what it had once been. Lightning crackled along the walls, shaking the structure even more, as the words inscribed along its face by Odin appeared once more.

"Whosoever holds this hammer, if they be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."

The hammer shook, lightning snarling across its surface, and two words were changed.

"Whosoever holds this hammer, if they be worthy, shall possess the power of the Storm."

As the hammer raged in a separate part of the abandoned complex, another entity stirred, and as his quiet slumber was breached on came the voices, and with the voices came to a sense of weightlessness, as every so briefly Glenn Talbot opened his eyes, and gravity inverted in the presence of its master.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

New York City, October 21st, 9:03 EDT

Ben stifled another yawn as he slumped in his chair in the Avengers meeting room. They had been planning on taking Fetch up to Xavier's School today, but something had crashed into the harbor late last night, which meant that took precedent.
Ben had slept clean through it, and as he looked around the room, he realized he might have been the only one. Tony was fidgeting in his chair, deep bags under his eyes, Daisy was nursing an extra-large mug of coffee, and Janet was even more bleary-eyed than the rest of them.
Hank and Banner seemed alert, the latter flipping through the morning newspaper while the former just sat silently waiting for the brief to begin.
Their guest slammed his hand on the table, nearly making Janet fall out of her chair in surprise while Ben felt his neck pop as his head jolted to look at him.
"Now that I have all of your attention," Fury snarked, as he impassively stared about the room, "I'm going to start this off by simply stating, if we don't get a handle on this in the next several hours, we are all in for a very bad time."
"I thought we were already up the creek without a paddle." Tony quipped, rubbing his eyes and blinking several times.
"Correct." Fury stated with a huff.
"So, what are we up against this time?" Daisy asked as she guzzled down a good helping of her coffee.
Fury eyed Ben for a moment, "What I am about to tell all of you doesn't leave this room."
Ben's eyebrows raised, and he nodded quietly.
Nick tapped at the console set in next to the table for a moment, the lights dimming slightly as the glass darkened, and a holographic projection appeared.
"As you likely know, several months ago, SHIELD facilities across the world came under siege from an unknown party." Fury stated, "Their main goal was to release meta-criminals of all stripes from their confinement. They were unable to crack the Cube or the Zoo, but the Asylum, the Vault, and the Raft had the vast majority of their occupants break containment."
He continued, "The Dome's sudden appearance lead some on the Council to believe that the prison breaks were actually a distraction and ordered us to engage whatever had just whipped a vast majority of the Bronx off the map. From what I can gather, however, the Dome and the Prison Break are a set eerily timed coincidences as with the Particle Accelerator Explosion."
"I am not certain I agree with that hypothesis, Director." Hank interjected, "I am of the mind that while the Dome is indeed an anomaly, there might be a true correlation between the other two events."
Fury nodded, "Meaning someone had unexpected help getting a leg up on us all. Which is not something I am comfortable thinking about."
Ben shifted in his seat, "My help, in a really twisted fashion anyway."
"Regardless, our current problem lies with the Raft." Fury informed, a hologram of an octagonal steel building rising above crashing waves, "I reviewed the footage captured by the facilities security system, and it shows that it might have been a joint job, the unknown party that set up the prison break, and agents within SHIELD."
The footage began to fragment as a black Quinjet landed atop the rising Raft.
"However, the attackers and their help on the inside never managed to reach Subject G, thank whatever God you find comfort in." Fury stated, "But if they could do it once, that meant they would like try and do it again. So I ordered that the Raft be moved just outside New York Harbor."
Tony swore.
Daisy blanched.
Janet grabbed her shoulder instinctively.
Hank let out a deflating sigh.
And Banner cracked off part of the table in his hands.
Meanwhile, Ben took in all of their reactions, "I'm guessing that's bad?"
Tony nodded mutely, whirling on Fury with a look of betrayed trust, "You didn't tell me."
"I needed you focused on the matter at hand." Fury returned calmly.
"You really thought hiding a proverbial nuke right under our noses while we're already neck-deep was a good idea, Nickie?!" Tony accused, getting to his feet.
"The Dome took precedent," Fury stated, his eye narrowing slightly, "But I was not going to stretch SHIELD forces out any more than they already are. Anyone trying to get the Subject out would have the whole hornet's nest to deal with."
"Meaning us." Banner stated evenly.
"That, and the Helicarrier." Nick amended.
"Lot of good that will do if G rips the damn thing out of the fucking sky." Tony fumed, "What were you thinking?!"
"That maybe, just maybe, whatever watches us wander through life would be on my side just this once." Fury snarked, "Seems like I was wrong."
"Several civilians told authorities they saw a falling star hit the harbor late last night." Fury continued, "Whatever, that thing actually was punched clean through the Dome's outer plating, and I got reports from the few remaining personnel that the automated defenses powered back on, and the techs have noted a continued build-up; of power in one of the wings."
"Is it alien?" Ben asked, a smile spreading across his face a little too quickly, as Tony, Daisy, and Fury gave him a pointed look.
"It has been classified as non-terrestrial by Fitzsimmons, yes." Fury stated, "Regardless of who sent it, we need to stop it before the surge fries Subject G's containment procedures."
"Right, we're on it," Tony stated, getting to his feet suddenly and walking away, muttering, "God, I want a drink."
"It's going to be a stressful day." Banner stated, and for the first time, Ben noticed that his eyes kept flickering from their regular color to a vibrant green, "Wonderful."

Daisy looked around at the others as the Quinjet carried them towards the Raft.
Hank was pensive as ever, triple-checking his gear for the third time since they'd got on board.
Janet seemed to be fully awake, though she is clearly nervous finally and kept grabbing her shoulder as if it was hurting her.
Tony was a bundle of anxiety even beneath all the armor, his foot bouncing to the tune of whatever song he was using to try and calm him down.
Banner was doing breathing exercises across from her, shooting her a quick smile when their eyes met.
Personally, Daisy was more than a little scared. If this went pear-shaped...well, she was fighting to keep her mind on the task at hand and not think about the last time Subject-G had been awake.
Ben had read the room and seemed on edge just because of their own nervousness, but other than that, he didn't seem phased but what was weighting for them. In fact, he almost seemed excited.
"So…" he began, patting his knees and sitting forward, "Is anyone going to tell me who-slash-what Subject G is?"
"He is one of the strongest Metahumans that has ever been encountered." Hank offered.
"Good...to know," Ben stated flatly, leaning back in his chair and looking out the window as they approached.
"So where is it?" he asked, as they began to descend, "All I see is some old-fishing boat."
"Wait for it," Tony stated, as the door to the back of the Quinjet opened, the air shimmering as the boat disappeared and was replaced with the black steel monolith of the Raft.
"Whoa," Ben said, smirking slightly as the Quinjet set down.
Daisy followed him as they stepped down onto the prison, several SHIELD guards milling about the top. Tony made a beeline for the damaged bulkhead, scanning the sundered metal.
"This thing was built to withstand anything short of well...you Bruce," Tony stated, ignoring the annoyed look the Doctor shot him.
"So, whatever did this is going to give us an adamant time is what you're saying." Ben snarked.
"Yes." Tony stated, "We're going to need to take this slow. Bruce, I think you should wait for the topside. If things go south, you're our ace-in-the-hole."
"Yeah, enclosed spaces don't sound very good for me right now." Banner stated as he wrung his hands nervously.
"Take a breather, feed some seagulls that should be relaxing." Tony agreed with a smile as Banner chuckled a bit.
"I'll be on my own." Tony stated, "Tremors, you go with Jan, Ben, you're with Pym. We're going to try and be as stealthy as we can manage. Report anything odd you find over comms, Jan, Pym. Look for places that you can get into that we can't. We're here to find what made the hole and keep G from waking up, but we could still find a clue to the original breakout."
Daisy and the others nodded.
"Stealthy, huh," Ben muttered as he closed his eyes, "I've got the perfect guy for that.
His form changed, growing taller and sprouting orange and white hair. A low snarl filled his throat as he stretched. He had turned into a large tiger-like humanoid with two large black claws coming out of his wrists. He was dressed in green shorts, with black fingerless gloves and black toeless boots.
Ben smiled and then froze when he saw the others staring at him before looking down at himself.
"Really?" he growled.
"That doesn't look very stealthy." Daisy quipped.
"Let me tell you something, Daisy Johnson!" Ben yelled, pointing at her with a growl, "You're right!"
Janet started laughing as Tony put his head in his hands.
"Rath isn't sure why the Omnitrix is still giving him trouble." he stated, slapping himself in the chest, "But you're stuck with me!"
"No, he's stuck with you," Tony stated, pointing at Hank before nodding for the SHIELD agents to open the way down into the prison and hovering down onto the helipad below.
Wasp followed, flitting through the air. Rath grabbed Pym by the arm.
"Let's go," he stated, unceremoniously throwing Hank over one shoulder, who sent Daisy and Bruce a completely befuddled look as they disappeared into the prison.
"Good luck." Bruce called out, "You're going to need it, Hank."
Daisy snickered as she nodded to Banner and then stepped off, catching herself on the helipad with her powers.
"Remember," Tony stated, turning to look at them one last time before heading towards the north entrance into the prison, "We do this quietly."

"I don't think these things got Tony's memo!" Rath yelled as he ripped what must have been the twentieth, sparking drone in half with his bare hands. Twitching robot parts were strewn about him in ankle-deep water, both halves thrashing like overturned beetles as he threw them to the ground with a splash.
"I would have to agree," Hank stated, as he avidly hunted through a dangerous sparking terminal, "The automated defenses shouldn't be able to produce drones this quickly."
"So something is building an army down here." Janet quipped across the comms, "That's just perfect!"
"It seems like Rath is drawing much of their attention," Daisy stated, "We haven't run into any resistance yet."
"You're welcome!" Rath cried as he punched through another drone.
Hank tapped away furiously and found what he was looking for, "Tony, according to the schematics I just pulled up, you're heading directly towards whatever is powering the automated defense."
"Got it. Hopefully, that means the bots will start coming my way, and you and Ben can continue checking on Subject-G," Tony stated, "If he's contained, make sure we can keep him that way?"
"And if he's not?" Hank asked.
"Then we get Banner and get ready for a very sour week ahead of us." Tony quipped, "And yep, here they come, good hunting people."
Hank turned and looked at Rath, who was sniffing the air curiously, "What is it?"
"This place reeks like Ozone," Rath stated, shrugging at Hank's confused expression.
"Noted, let's make sure that the bots are our only problem today," Hank stated, shrinking down and leaping onto Rath's shoulder as he took off down the hall.

Daisy took out a flashlight, wincing as she spotted what could only be a very old blood smear on the wall before her. They had found the Warden's room, and it looked like it had been ransacked long before the anomalous power source had cracked its way into the prison. The computer screens on the far wall were mostly smashed. A shattered bookshelf sat beneath the blood smear, its contents now soggy imposters of their former selves. The desk had been left alone, though the computer terminal appeared to have been damaged in the scuffle. A circular door in the back of the room had been blown inward, the indent of a fist in the center, its hinged most ripped clean off.
"Why would anyone want the people in here free?" Jan asked as she turned, taking in the carnage with a disgruntled expression.
"Let's see if we can find out," Daisy stated, drawing a USB cord from her new gauntlets and plugging it into the damaged computer terminal, "Thank you, Tony Stark."
A holographic screen appeared as I dug into the computer's memory, hunting for any files that might have survived.
Several nebulous files flowed onto her screen, one being a prisoner manifest which she immediately moved to the side to look at later. Then an audio recording and a piece of CT footage appeared.
"Wasp," Daisy said, waving her over.
The CT Footage was very brief, several figures in unmarked black combats, being lead by a SHIELD Agent, but the footage was spotty enough not to give a good look at them. They gunned down several guards and then cracked the nearest cell, backing up quickly as a tall metallic figure emerged. The SHIELD Agent spotted the working camera a moment later and shot it out, ending the footage.
Daisy then brought up the audio recording.
"Hello Warden, what an interesting night this has been, hmm?" a silky-smooth female voice asked.
"You won't get away with this." the Warden stated.
"Maybe someday in the coming years, but tonight, I don't think so." the woman said again.
"We are wasting time." another voice stated, cold and direct, their accent placing them from somewhere Germany, "Kill him."
"Understood." a third voice stated, followed by a brief scuffle followed by a gunshot.
"W-" the Warden beginning, his voice ringing with recognition as another gunshot rang out, followed by a body hitting the ground.
"Nothing personal." the person stated, the SHIELD traitor very likely.
"Such a mess," the woman stated, "Can you get the door, dear?"
"Yep," a deep, mechanized voice said, followed by a wrenching of metal, "Have at it."
The recording ended with Daisy feeling a bit of a chill on her spine, she could almost make out the SHIELD Agent's voice, but there was some form of modulation they were using that was throwing her off.
"Guys, we've got something," Janet stated over the comms, "Daisy was able to find some info on the breakout. They definitely had inside help. Everything okay on your end, find anything?"
"Ben and I have continued towards Subject G's cell. One of the drones appears to have breached initial containment, we are in pursuit, but at the moment, it appears the other protocols are still in place."
"Great!" Wasp stated, "Tony? Find anything yet?

"Not yet Jan, I'm still working my way there, though I think this place finally ran out of Drones." Tony lied.
"Alright, keep us posted." Janet stated, "We're going to keep looking around, and then Daisy thinks it would be best if we go back up Hank and Ben."
"Will do, and sounds good," Tony stated.
As the comm went quiet, Tony deactivated them.
"Boss, what are you-" FRIDAY began, only for Tony to cut her off.
"Friday, activate Blue Skies protocol," Tony commanded, the AI immediately shutting down and another alien interface emerging within his helmet.
"Been a while since you pulled me out of the mainframe." Blue stated cooly, "What's happened?"
"We've got another Temporal Deviation Blue," Tony remarked, "And for once, I am definitely not pleased about it."
"Wha-Oh." Blue stated, her holographic form emerging beside them as they both took in the glowing, sparking shape of Mjolnir, "We're not going to be able to hide this one, Tony."
"I know." Tony muttered, "I know."

Rath finally caught up to the Drone and smashed it to pieces with a laugh.
"Gotcha!" he cried, "So tell me something Hank Pym, are we still good on this Subject G thing? Who-ever that is."
Pym went to talk only for another voice to cut them off, as the doors in front of them began to crumple outward slowly without even a sound.
"I think that would be me." Glenn Talbot stated, his eyes glowing blue in the darkness as the air seemed to warp and bend around him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Let me tell you something, creepy floating stranger!" Rath roared as he squared off against Talbot, missing the suddenly panicked expression that had overtaken Pym's face, "If you are Subject-G, Rath can't let you leave!"
"I'm the greatest hero the world has ever seen." Talbot returned, his eyes narrowing, the air around him contorting even more, "Do you really think you can stop me from doing my job?"
Rath stared at him for a second, "Maybe."
And he charged.
Talbot shot his head forward, and Rath froze mid-leap and was sent flying like a bullet in the other direction.
He then whirled on Pym, who immediately shrank and slid beneath the loose floor paneling.
'Talbot's awake!" Pym yelled over the comms.
"Damn it," Tony barked, though he sounded like he was coming out of a daze slightly, "Alright, Avengers, he doesn't leave this building!"
"We're already on our way," Wasp stated over the comms.
"Do you need me?" Banner asked a hint of snarl at the end of his sentence.
"Talbot might still be weakened, but stay ready," Pym responded as the panel above his head was crunched and ripped away.
"Where are you, little ant?" Talbot asked menacingly, "It has been quite some time, Doctor Pym. I had thought your inability to do the job right would have led you away from the Avengers."
"By 'do the job right,' do you mean sacrificing my morals and brutalizing people in the name of the 'Greater Good'?" Pym asked as he ricocheted off the nearby wall and landed a punch across Talbot's face, "That has never been, or will ever be, my way of doing things."
"You'll learn," Talbot stated as he hunted for Pym once more, "The next time the Invaders come knocking, and you can't do what needs to be done, every death will be on you."
"Let me tell you something, tyrannical gravity guy!" Rath roared as he came pelting back down the hallway, "Your Greater Good is a bunch of bullshit!"
He feinted left and then landed a crushing punch to Talbot's right side, bouncing him against the wall then following it up with a kick to the face that sent him stumbling backward.
"The name is Graviton!" Talbot roared, a gravity pulse releasing from his body and sending Pym and Rath bashing against the walls as they cracked from the sudden change of pressure, water jetting in anew, "And I am growing tired of this confrontation."
He closed his eyes, and the Raft shifted, the water on the floor and coming in through the walls suddenly becoming weightless, spiraling around in small orbs and delicate patterns, even as Hank and Pym were being pushed further and further into the metal walls.

Wasp froze as the water suddenly started floating all around her, Daisy stuttering to a halt for a second before taking off at a mad sprint.
"What's the play?" Janet asked as she flitted up beside her.
"We need to hit him as fast and as hard as we can." Daisy stated, her hands vibrating as she ran, "The longer he's awake, the stronger he becomes, and New York already has enough problems without Talbot coming back."
"Is talking him down not an option?" Janet asked, "Hank-"
"Tried that the first time and Talbot broke both of his legs." Daisy fired back, "Coulson trusted Talbot, and so did Fury, but he isn't the same person anymore. All that power, it went straight to his head."
"Are you going to try and talk me down again, Doctor?" Talbot's voice asked, ringing out from somewhere up ahead, "Is the pacifist scientist-slash-wannabe psychologist going to try and have a come to God moment with an actual deity?"
"God?!" Rath yelled incredulously, "Let me tell you something, Graviton...you've got a serious complex!"
Wasp rocketed forward as she rounded the corner spotting Talbot bearing down on the struggling Hank, who had trouble breathing. Yellow energy built around her hands, and she went into a spiral, firing off a series of blasts aimed at Talbot's face and ears.
"Ow!" he cried, backing away from Pym and whirling on you, "You gnat!"
"It's Wasp, actually." she snarked, darting upward, "And that was just a distraction."
"Hey, Glen," Daisy stated coldly as she bolted down the hallway and released a quake-backed punch. An aftershock turned the floating water into a dusting of unfailing raindrops as her punch collided with his gravitational aura. There was a boom like thunder, and Talbot was sent skidding backward, slamming into the railing that overlooked his former cell.
"Agent Johnson." he snarled, pushing himself back to his feet, his eyes filled with abject hatred.
"So you remember me?" she snarked, even as the walls warped and bent from his projected rage.
"How could I forget the face of the woman that tried to murder me!" he roared, the force of the pulse that was released sending them all flying backward and shattering the lights so that the only light was coming from his glowing body.
"I know what I'm doing." he suddenly snapped, as if talking to someone that wasn't there.
Wasp turned to the others as they picked themselves up, "I think Daisy unbalanced him."
Talbot continued to rant at himself for several seconds, turning his head rapidly from side to side.
"Unbalanced?" Rath asked, staring up at her, confused.
"Graviton," Pym began as he pulled several disks from his belt, "Is a conglomerate of several minds, all stored within the body of Glen Talbot. Ian Quinn, a sociopathic tech mogul, Franklin Hall, a misguided scientist, an unidentified extraterrestrial and…
"And a psychopathic teenage girl raised by a terrorist organization." Daisy finished, her whole body vibrating as she built up energy.
Rath stared at her, his expression stating that he was even more confused than before, "Right."
"Just hit him as hard as you can," Daisy stated as she surged forward.
Talbot seemed to snap back to focus as she charged, shooting his hand forward, and wrenching Daisy free of the ground and tossing her over his head into his former cell like he was tossing a fastball.
Wasp and Pym followed after her, the latter tossing several disks that Janet fired at as they flew, the struck around Talbot, forming an electrified net which immediately grabbed him in its clutches, but he managed to surge through it.
Wasp followed that up with a barrage of stings, which annoyed him, but he suddenly shot his hand forward and pulled, ripping Wasp and Pym towards him. He then pushed both hands away from each other, pinning the pair to opposing walls.
"Still with your non-lethal tricks, Pym?" Talbot snarked, pressing Hank hard and hard against the wall once more, "I am almost offended at your inability to actually put up a fight."
"You talk too much." Rath roared as he slid across the ground and then kicked upwards with both of his legs, snapping Talbot's teeth together hard enough to chip a few, "Incursean Uppercut!"
Talbot hung in the air, holding his mouth with a look of utter rage on his face as he glared down at Rath.
"You-" he was cut off as Daisy slammed into his back with a flying shoulder-check, a Quake erupting between them and sending Talbot racing down the hallway as Tony emerged from around the corner, all his ordnance humming with energy.
"I can't believe you all started the show without me!" he cried indignantly, as Talbot managed to arrest his flight directly before him, "And Glen, buddy, Pym doesn't hold back because he's weak."
All of his weapons locked on Talbot, "It's because he's a kinder person than the both of us."
Graviton disappeared in a rain of rockets, repulsor blasts, and the brilliant neon blue light of the Unibeam and reappeared a smoking mess that fell to the floor in a heap.
Janet and Hank fell to the ground, the latter clutching his chest as the former raced to his side.
"Are you okay?" Janet asked, staring at him worriedly.
"That's the second time in around ten minutes he closed my airways." With a slightly joking smile, Hank stated, "So pardon me if I'm a little light-headed."
Rath snarled as he stalked past them, bearing down on the unmoving, but breathing Talbot.
"Stay. Down." Rath stated, raising a clenched fist, the claw on the back of his wrist extending menacingly, "You're done."
"Ben, don't," Daisy stated as she helped Wasp get Hank to his feet.
"Done?" Talbot choked out, "No, I don't think I am."
His eyes glowed blue for a moment, and Wasp's vision went white suddenly as she found herself and the others suddenly thrust into vibrant daylight.
The Raft was floating above the New York Harbor over fifty feet in the air, water streaming from it as Talbot suddenly thrust them through the roof, his powers shattering it into a vortex of shattered, floating metal.
Tony kept on going, soaring into the air, while Janet felt Hank shrink in her grasp, and she followed suit, darting through the debris.
She saw Daisy get tossed across the roof and nearly went off the side, only for "Rath" to punch one of his claws clean through the metal and catch her with the other hand, tossing her back onto the building as he clambered back on after her.
The assembled SHIELD Agents immediately opened fire, but their bullets froze in mid-air as they neared Talbot, who glared down at them like they were nothing and then with a wave of his hand send them tumbling over the side of the Raft, Tony darting after them in a flurry of motion.
Banner had nearly been knocked off the floating building by the initial emergence and was now standing at the far end, looking up at Talbot with several, green veins pulsing on his forehead and neck.
"I'm guessing you need me," Bruce stated as she placed Hank down beside him and grew to her regular height.
"You think?" she fired back, her hands glowing with energy as Talbot sat floating in the air and staring at all of them imperiously.
"You keep fighting me," he stated, talking to them as if he was a teacher scolding a misbehaving student, "But we are on the same side! I can keep this world safe in a manner that none of you can even come close to comparing to!"
"And I already see you have failed spectacularly in my absence." he stated, as he looked out across the bay, his eyes taking in the Dome with a mix of horror and intrigue, "I would not have allowed that to happen. You need to work with me!"
"Talbot, you're sick." Pym yelled, "We can help you, and maybe in time, yes, we could work together, but you aren't going to make this situation better. The Battle of New York was pro-."
"The Battle of New York went sideways because none of you were willing to do what needed to be done!" Talbot cried, a pulse of gravitational energy sending bullets and shrapnel piercing into the roof near their feet, "We could have crushed then Chitauri, and killed Loki in one fail-swoop, but you wouldn't help me!"
"Killing him wouldn't have stopped the Invasion." Pym retorted, "We needed to focus on keeping people safe!"
"Like Coulson?!" Talbot cried, Ben, shooting the other confused looks, "Or my men? What about Lincoln Campbell? Did you keep them safe by holding back?!"
Daisy's face contorted into distraught pain, "You act like you're some great hero that was willing to make the big sacrifice, but you aren't, and you didn't!"
"Daisy," Janet said, reaching out for her, but she shrugged her off.
"You mock us for failing, but look where we're standing!" Daisy cried, tears leaking from her eyes, "You didn't have to watch the people you care about to die! How dare you bring him up as if you knew him! Tony flew a nuke through a portal while you planned to bring their ship crashing down onto New York. That wasn't a sacrifice you were making. That was a sacrifice you were causing!"
Talbot's eyes narrowed slightly as she finished, tears streaming down her face and a look of utter rage on her face.
Janet reached out and put a comforting hand on her shoulder while Pym moved forward to try and defuse the increasingly tense situation.
Banner was barely keeping it together, more and more of his veins becoming green the longer they stood there, while Stark was soared back into view, oddly quiet at this moment.
Ben was confused. That much was evidently clear as he looked from Daisy's distraught face to the furious Talbot, his fists clenching and unclenching in a clear sign that he was waiting for Talbot to throw the first punch.
"Talbot, the-" Hank was silenced as a sudden surge of crushing gravity sent all of them to their knees, except for Tony, who surged forward only to freeze as Graviton raised his other hand in his direction.
"You're right, Agent Johnson." Graviton stated, giving her a pointed look, "But this time, it will be different."
"Oh fuck off, Talbot," Tony stated coldly as he managed to point a rocket directly at the other man's head and fired. Talbot managed to shield himself with several pieces of metal paneling, but he was shaken enough that the hold he had on Wasp and the others lessened.
"Stark," Talbot stated, as he looked up at him, "I want you to know this is personal."
Tony suddenly surged upwards. Even as he fought to rocket back downwards, he was pushed higher and higher into the atmosphere.
"As is this," he stated coldly, as Daisy was suddenly lifted off her feet and was sent careening off the side of the raft, rocketing downwards far too fast that what should have been normal. She hit the water and sank through it with a disproportionate splash.
"He's sending me into the upper atmosphere." Tony stated over the comms, "I'll be fine for a bit, but someone needs to get to Daisy quickly. With that much pressure forcing her down, she's in danger of drowning and a whole lot worse."
"I'm on it!" Rath roared, surging forward, Talbot aiming a blast at him as he ran.
"No!" Hank yelled, suddenly growing, as he leaped, taking the blast to the chest, now as standing as tall as the Raft was wide. The power of the blast sent him careening across the roof, accidentally taking Banner with him over the side even as Ben managed to slip down the opposing side of the Raft and out of sight.
Janet was left alone facing Talbot, who glared down at her as if she was nothing.
She smirked and fell into a fighting stance, her fists glowing with yellow energy.
"Really?" Talbot snarked, "You think you can beat me?"
"Maybe not beat." Janet admitted, "But I can make you hurt at least."
"I doubt it," he stated menacingly as he sent a rain of bullets and shrapnel tearing towards her.
She shrunk, dodging, leaping, and racing along with the soaring metal, flitting into the air and firing blast after blast of energy at him.
He grimaced with each strike, becoming more and more annoyed as she dodged his attacks until he released another pulse, knocking her from the air and almost sending her teetering over the edge.
He then slammed his hand down, pressing her flat against the roof, which dented in from the force.
"I told you all." Talbot stated, "All those years ago, I will be this world's savior, and no one will get in my way. I control one of the fundamental natures of the universe. I am a God to the rest of you!"
He was slipping once more, she could tell, the other voices bleeding into his mind just as they had before. She struggled to rise, hoping that the others would be alright and hoping beyond hope this wouldn't be like the Aftermath of the Battle of New York.
"I'm sorry, Van Dyne." As he pushed down slowly, Talbot stated, "But you never were cut out for this life."
There was a roar, and Talbot was suddenly knocked out of the air as a satellite dish viscously cracked against his torso.
The pressure dissipated, and Wasp whirled around as the Hulk pulled himself fully back onto the top of the Raft.
"Did you forget about me?" Hulk asked, a dark grin on his face as Talbot bounced across the roof. The Jade Giant looked down at Wasp and offered her a hand, "Get up, we're not done."
"Where's Hank?" she asked as he pulled her to his feet with surprising care. Hulk shrugged and pointed over his shoulder. He then ignored her as Talbot surged to his feet, his face contorted in rage.
"You." Talbot snarled
"Me." Hulk snarled back, cracking his knuckles and surging across the Raft towards him, both hands raised above his head with a roar.
Janet blinked, as for a moment she was drawn back into a memory of a very similar event three years ago.
She couldn't let either of them reach the City.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Did you forget about me?" Hulk asked, a dark grin on his face as Talbot bounced across the roof. The Jade Giant looked down at Wasp and offered her a hand, "Get up, we're not done."
"Where's Hank?" she asked as he pulled her to his feet with surprising care. Hulk shrugged and pointed over his shoulder. He then ignored her as Talbot surged to his feet, his face contorted in rage.
"You." Talbot snarled
"Me." Hulk snarled back, cracking his knuckles and surging across the Raft towards him, both hands raised above his head with a roar.

Janet blinked, as for a moment she was drawn back into a memory of a very similar event three years ago.

She couldn't let either of them reach the City.

FIVE YEARS AGO

Explosions sounded in the distance as alien spacecraft and immense extraterrestrial beasts plummeted from the sky. The immense hole in the sky was closing slowly, the stary void beyond being consumed by a brilliant explosion as the edges sputtered fitfully.

Janet let out a relieved laugh that partially transitioned to a sob as Clint's voice came over the comms.

"Bastard did it. We won," Hawkeye muttered, sounding tired beyond belief but relieved.

There was a flash of red and golden light in the sky, causing Barton to shout over the comms.

"I'll be damned! Tin-Man incoming at terminal velocity, he's not correcting, can anybody ca-."

An echoing roar cuts him off as the Hulk emerges from between a pair of skyscrapers and snatches Tony out of the air, slamming into the side of another building and disappearing out of view.

"Th-thank you, Jade Jaws." Barton stutters, "Alright, sound off, everybody else still walking?"

A smattering of "Yes's" passes over the comms as Janet shrinks down and takes to the air.

"I'm fine, on my way to Tony and the Hulk," Janet informs the group.
"Let us know if the former needs medical." Black Widow remarks, "I'm on my way down with Selvieg; anyone have eyes on Loki?"
"Aye." Thor states, but the conversation is soon drowned out as Wasp concentrates on reaching Tony.

She rounded a corner and faltered when she heard the Hulk let out a deep, confused roar.

Darting further forward, she froze, spotting the Hulk standing over Tony's unmoving body, with a large shard of metal pierced into his shoulder, snarling at General Talbot, who was floating partially above him, several more awkwardly shaped spears pointed at him.

"Get back," Talbot ordered, to which the Hulk snarled, reaching down to grab hold of Tony.

One of the spears lanced into the pavement, nearly pinning the Hulk's hand, who roared angrily.

"Don't touch him." Talbot remarked, "I won't let you hurt him anymore."
"Talbot, what are you doing!" Wasp cried, fluttering to a stop near the pair, "Hulk saved Tony."

The Hulk's eyes flicked towards her warily, a low growl on his lips.

"He caught him. That does not mean he was going to save him. I arrived seeing him trying to pry the armor off." Talbot stated, "Regardless, the Hulk has been a danger for far too long."
"Talbot, he just helped us save the city." her eyes flicked down to Tony, "I think you misunderstand the situation."
"Stark had Banner let him out," the General states, eliciting a dark growl from the Hulk, who clenched his fists, causing the spears around Talbot to inch forward slightly, "But there is no confirmation that we will be able to put him back in. The Doctor struggled with it for a good while, and there are cities across this country that are owed recompense. Fury might be willing to work with a criminal, but now that the extraordinary circumstances have ceased, it is time Banner and his passenger to pay their due diligence."

The Hulk backed up, looking more than a little confused, while Wasp looked up at Talbot, catching an odd light in his eyes.

"Talbot, stop. We still need to secure Loki, and the Tesseract, if...if Banner needs to be prosecuted, that can happen after we're finished here." Wasp stated, leaning down to check on Tony, his feeble breathing catching her ears, "Tony needs medical attention on top of that."

Talbot looked down at her, "You're right…."

There was a sudden shearing sound as the chunks of the building around them tore free and slammed into the Hulk, who roared in surprise as he was closed inside of an ever-tightening cocoon of metal, stone, and pavement, up to his neck, where a bit of metal rebar wound around the Hulk's throat and began to tighten, strangling his roar's of rage.

Sweat beaded on Talbot's forehead as he pushed his hands closer and closer together, teeth-gritting.

"What are you doing?!" Wasp cried.
"You were right, Ms. Van Dyne." Talbot stated, "Loki, the Tesseract, Tony, they all take precedent. You and the others can take care of that while I draw Banner out to make sure he remains to pay for his crimes."

Wasp looked back at the Hulk, his eyes a mixture of confusion, rage, and just the faint bit of fear as he gasped for air.

"Stop!" Wasp ordered, pointing her hands at Talbot, both igniting with energy.
"Do not interfere," Talbot ordered, as he squeezed his hands tighter and the sound of cracking bones could be heard.
"You're killing him!" Wasp shouted, the energy beginning to crawl up her arms.
"No," Talbot remarked, shaking his head slightly, but his eyes were vacant, staring past her, and the Hulk at something else, a strange ripple passing through his face, a brief flash of shimmering metal liquid emerging.

Wasp fired, bolts of energy slamming into his torso and the side of his face, a shout of pain and shock bursting from his lips. Talbot turned on her, a look of rage in his eyes.

"I told you not to interfere." his voice layered oddly. He pointed a finger, and one of the spears shot towards her chest.

Stone shattered.

A roar consumed her hearing, and a large green hand appeared before her, catching the spear clean through the palm but halting it from catching her in the chest.

The Hulk roared in utter rage as he ripped the spear clean from his palm and, with the other hand, smacked it into Graviton, catching on some invisible bubble but still with enough force to send Talbot rocketing through an office building which began to crumble.

"No." Hulk growled, casting the green blood-covered spear and lunging after Talbot, leaving Wasp standing over Tony's faintly breathing body.

Back to the Present

"Long time no see, Talbot," Hulk remarked darkly, cracking the muscles in his neck and grinning menacingly.
"Finally able to string together full sentences, are we?" Talbot snarked, a gravitic pulse bursting free of him, slamming into Janet and the Hulk, sending the former careening backward, catching herself in midair as she shrunk down. Meanwhile, the Hulk barely budged.
"Banner and I worked some things out," Hulk states, "Got smarter."
He lungs, punching Talbot, who catches it on the gravitic barrier, though it still sends him soaring backward, "Stronger too."
Talbot snarls and reaches out, causing the gravity to increase on the Hulk, who grits his teeth as he's pushed into the metal hull and takes a few steps forward. Talbot sneers and fires a blast of gravitic energy, causing Hulk to grind deeper into the Raft's hull, but not causing any real damage.
"Gotten soft on my Talbot?" Hulk growls, looking up at him with a cold sneer, "Maybe you should let the arrogant billionaire or the insane fascist schoolgirl take the wheel?"
Talbot's form seemed to judder for a second, as a female voice rips free of his mouth: "I'm not insane!"
Janet darts towards him, "Bruce...what are you doing?"
Hulk snorts and gives her a side-eye, "Not Bruce, keeping them off balance, go find Hank and the others."
"Am I included in that rescue plan?" Tony's voice asked over the comms, "General Mustache and his Merry Maniacs are currently sending me into high-atmo!"
"I'll talk with them about it." Hulk snarks, lunging at the distracted Talbot and aiming a hammer fist at his temple.
Wasp darts away, flitting over the side searching for Hank, "Tony, we can't let those two near the city…."
"I know, find Hank. Maybe he can think up a way to contain them before I freeze solid up here." Tony remarked, the sound of his thrusters going full bore undercutting the conversation, "Any sign of Tremors or Ben?"
"Talbot pushed her under the ocean...I have no idea." Janet remarks, hunting the waves for any sign of the pair or Hank.

Several Moments Prior

Ben dove off the side after Daisy, wracking his brain on what to turn into even as he got close and closer to the shimmer sheet of water beneath him.
"What are you doing, Omnitrix?" he mutters to himself as the water gets closer and closer, his form glowing green.
He hits the water with an explosive splash and looks down at his hands, which are now made of red craggy rock.
"Gravattack?" he queries, "Fitting."
Looking around, he spots Daisy sinking deeper and deeper into the sea-bed below him, a trail of bubbles escaping her lungs.
Thinking quickly, he casts out a hand, forming a gravitic disturbance around Daisy, a bubble of breathable air emerging around here, a flurry of floating water bubbles dispersing into the greater ocean. He then increased his own gravity, sinking to the bottom very quickly.
Passing through the bubble, he kneeled to look at Daisy, who seemed to be on the verge of unconsciousness.
"Tremors, hey, you good?" he asks, tapping her forehead.
She coughs, cracking her eyes open, and spits a bit of water out of her mouth.
"Ben?" looking at his immense rocky face in confusion.
"Do you know any other sentient moons?" he jokes, tapping his chest.
"I...you know I've never seen this form, right?" she returns, raising her eyebrow.
"Touche, you alright?" he asks.
"I can breathe, but I'm betting the air is going to go bad soon" she struggles to sit up but can't, being pushed a bit deeper into the seafloor, "And I'm still stuck."
"Might be able to help with that," Ben stated, raising his hands, only for a flash of silver to catch his eyes.
Looking up, he stares around them, spotting the shimmer yet again just at the edge of his vision, something flickering in the light of the fairly distant sun above.
"I think something is down here with us," he remarks, squinting at the last spot he saw the shimmer.
"Great," Daisy snarks, fighting to turn her head to look in the direction he was, "Maybe focus on one problem at a time."
"Right." Gravattack states, focusing, a disk of purple energy appearing around his hands.
Slowly Daisy begins to sit up as the pressure lessons before disappearing altogether.
Massaging her wrists and cracking her neck, she looks up at Ben with a grin, "So, how are things going topside?"
"No clue. How bout we go check?" Ben returns with a wide smile.

Back to the Present

Wasp rockets across the waves, searching for any sign of the others, "Come on, Hank, where are you!"
"Janet?" a voice crackles over the comms, sounding a bit befuddled and tired.
"Hank!" she cries, elated, "Where are you?"
"Pier north of the Raft," he states, and she bolts after him.
She finds him standing in the middle of a pop-up lab, sending furtive looks back at the Raft, where the thunder of Hulk crashing against Talbot's barrier echoes, while around him bubble many chemical mixtures, while he is rapidly assembling a gun of some sort.
"Hank, what are you doing?" Janet asks, fairly befuddled at the odd sight before her.
"Talbot was anesthetized; it's what allowed SHIELD to contain him for so long, I'm trying to mix up a quick-acting solution, to wear him down quickly." Hank rattles off, finishing the gun, and turning to the solution beside him.
"I feel like Hulk can manage that. Where did you get all this?" she asks incredulously.
Hank turns to look at her with a surprised expression, holding up several of his throwing disks between his fingers, "I carry it with me."
"You are...incredible," she mutters with a laugh.
"I mean, I felt like it was a pretty obvious solution to be able to access my work in the field." Hank remarks, as he pours the solution into a capsule and fits it into the gun, "Done, just need to…."
He turns back to his setup, tapping at his wrist only for Janet to interrupt him, "Hank, you can pick up your toys later. We need to stop those two before their brawl reaches the City."
"Right...right, let's go!" he says, leaping into the air and shrinking, allowing her to catch him and whirl off.
As they race above the waves, a plume of water bursts up beside them, as an invisible dome punches up through the water, revealing Daisy, riding atop a spherical red-rock creature with vibrant green eyes and a wide toothy smile.
"Daisy! You're alright!" Wasp cries excitedly, darting towards the pair, "Ben...interesting look."
"Coming to a water show near you, surely." Daisy jokes, tapping her foot on Ben's head, "What's going on with Talbot?"
"The Hulk's 'distracting' him, Tony is still in the upper atmosphere," Wasp informed.
"Glad someone remembered me." Tony snarks over the comms, "Can you get me the hell down now?!"
"I think I can get you, Tony, but it'll take me a bit to get up to you," Ben remarks.
"Focus on splitting Talbot's focus. He can't deal with too many targets at once. He starts to fracture." Tony informs, "The worse he gets, the less reliable his powers, I can break out and get back to being able to feel my toes again. Sound good?"
"So we pull at the frayed edges, anybody got a plan?" Ben asked, looking up at the trio above him.
"I have a tranquilizer. If I can get an opening, we can stop this without too many people getting hurt." Hank states.
"That'd work too," Tony remarks.
"Just need a way to administer it. Anyone got any ideas?" Ben asks.
"I do," Daisy states, flexing her hands, an audible hum hitting the air.

Hulk snarls as he batters against Talbot's shield, cracking it repeatedly only for the latter to reinforce it.
"Why so defensive, General?" Hulk asks, "Don't think you can take a punch?"
"Hardly!" Talbot returns, a shimmer of metal crossing his face.
"Then hit me!" Hulk roars, launching a devastating hammer fist.
Graviton roars, launching a punch of his own directly into the Hulk's face. There is a sonic boom, and the Hulk is sent careening over the side of the Raft, blood trickling from his nose.
"I wield one of the fundamental forces of the universe!" Talbot yells, his voice echoey and multilayered, "Do you really think you can beat me, you rabid animal!"
"Yes, yes, phenomenal cosmic power." a voice snarks behind him. He whirls, spotting Gravattack, with his one hand raised towards the sky, "And you don't want to go back to your itty, bitty living space. I get it, dude, but I've got to be honest, you're really not all that special."
Talbot snarls, a wave of gravitic energy firing towards him, which he catches and coalesces in his other hand. Talbot blinks in surprise as the energy dissipates.
"Told ya," Ben states, with a shrug of his shoulders, letting his other hand fall and stepping to the side to reveal Daisy, rocketing towards Talbot under her own and Ben's power.
She flips around midair, cracking into Talbot's feet first and sending him spiraling, just as the Hulk leaps back onto the Raft and smashes down on top of him with a roar.
Pinning Talbot to the ground with all his might as Daisy stalks closer, Ben a step behind, Wasp and Ant-Man hopping off his back, the Jade Giant lets out a laugh.
"This feels familiar, Talbot?" Hulk asks as he pushes even more of his weight down Talbot's barrier, as the other man looks around frantically at the approaching heroes.

Several Years Ago

Wasp held Tony as another skyscraper was shattered into rubble in an instant, the feral fury of the Hulk crashing against the maddened might of Talbot.

"What the hell is going on?!" Clint shouted over the comms as a bus roared over her head and was crunched like a can as it slammed against Talbot's barrier, followed by a leaping Hulk.
"Th-" Wasp begins, only having to duck and avoid a flurry of shrapnel that the Hulk lungs in front of with a snarling roar of pain.

Through all the chaos, Tony's breath was getting shallower and shallower in her ear. Looking down at her hand, she ignited it, the snap of bioelectricity snarling between her fingertips.

"Alright, Tony, this might sting," she mutters, placing her hand over the arc reactor and letting out a pulse of energy.

Tony sputtered and coughed in her arms as electricity raced through him, his eyes going wide and vary briefly, the whites of his eyes glowing with yellow light.

"Oh, fucking god!" Tony shouts, sitting up partially, "Tastes like pineapple! J-Jan? What happened?"
"You got the nuke through, Invasion's done, but.." Wasp begins, only for the Hulk to cut her off with a thunderous roar and charge Talbot, leaping and smashing him through the pavement, only to be sent rocketing back out and shearing clean through a portion of another building complex.
"Talbot went after the Hulk after the latter saved you. I don't know why. He tried to kill me." Wasp states.

Tony coughed, gritting his teeth as he sat up, "The ship, it was moving when I went through, I say Talbot, up there, pulling it towards the city...I don't know what…."

"Easy, Tony," Wasp states before reaching for her comms, "I need our remaining big guns over here now. General Talbot and the Hulk are gonna continue to tear this city apart unless we stop the General.
"The General?" Widow queried.
"He was trying to drop the mothership on Manhattan. He tried to kill Wasp. Just get here." Tony chokes out as he tries and fails once more to get to his feet.
"I just found Dr. Pym. His legs are pretty badly mangled. Doc, can you hear me?" Barton stated.

Janet's heart sank hearing that a flurry of frantic thoughts fluttering through her mind only for Hank to speak up loud enough to be heard over the comms, "Talbot...he…."

"That synchs it." Barton stated, "Who's in route?"
"On my way, Stark," Thor remarked a peal of thunder in the distance.

A closer sonic-boom drew their attention as a figure rocketed past them and slammed into Talbot, the air rippling as they clashed, sending the other person skidding off, revealing it to be a scarred, sobbing, Agent Johnson, her whole body vibrating.

Talbot snarled, "Stand down, soldier!"

"I'm not a soldier!" the agent screamed as the Hulk landed nearby, glaring curiously at her as she fronted on Talbot, "Neither was he, but you talked him into fighting. Why are you doing this?!"
"I'm doing what needs to be done!" Talbot shouts, his body rippling with strange metallic waves, "We had no idea that the nuke would work on the mothership! We have no idea if we can truly trust Doctor Banner and his Hyde impersonation! I had the power to stop both of those threats, truly and finally. I'm not going to let you stop me."

His voice gained an odd edge, and for a brief second, he flickered, a young, blonde woman taking his place in the air, staring at Agent Johnson with a maddened, angry expression.

Janet and Tony shared a confused look while the Hulk snarled and stepped towards the figure while the agent's arms seemed to fall limp, her body language shifting in surprise.

Talbot shifted back, holding his head and staring around in confusion.

"Who was-" Jan began, only for Agent Johnson to lunge at Talbot, bursting into the air and coming down with a crushing hammer fist.

The Hulk roared and entered the fray, just as out of the sky beside Stark and Janet, Thor landed, evaluating the carnage quickly and briefly sparing the other two a glance.

"Are you injured?"
"I'm fine." Wasp stated.
"I'm...gonna get there in about three months." Tony snarked, even as he activated some of his weaponry and tried to get a bead on Talbot, who was surging away from them pursued by the Hulk and Agent Johnson, the pair seeming to be working in tandem to strike the gravity wielder.
"The Ant-Doctor is on his way, but I would suggest getting clear of here." Thor states as electricity cooks across his hammer and arm, "I have a feeling the ensuing battle will be even more legendary than this day already was fated to be, and maybe even more destructive."
"I've got him." Wasp stated, dragging Tony to his feet as the God of Thunder leaped away from them, crackling with energy, the sound of thunder accompanying him.
"You know I was gonna ask everyone out for a hot meal if I survived that." Tony snarked, stumbling beside her, "Not so sure about it now."

A deep gonging sound erupted from behind them, and Wasp felt her feet get knocked out from under her, followed by blackness as the wave of force carried her into a car. She felt her shoulder break right before her head hit metal, and everything went dark.

Back to the Present

As the Hulk bore down on Talbot, Janet winced, seeing the desperation in the man's eyes.
"I'm in control." he muttered, other voices interrupting and blathering out of his mouth in a discordant pattern, "Let me. No! Kill them! We need to get out of here! I want the reins! Shut up!
"You're losing. Enough!"
A gravitic pulse ripped away from him, sending the Hulk skidding backward as Talbot stood and held the side of his head. His body roiling oddly, briefly becoming liquid metal in human form before switching to a familiar blonde-haired young woman, then a middle-aged, well-dressed man to a balding, meek scientist.
"Is this good?" Ben asked, taking a step back as Talbot shouted, his voice echoing and metallic.
"They're imbalanced, which means we can hopefully take an advantage," Hank stated, raising his gun.
"Whatever you guys did, it worked. I'm five minutes out." Tony stated, "Hopefully, we can stop them before this gets too fun."
"Think we're past that point, Stark," Daisy stated, her arms vibrating as she glared at the roiling Talbot.
"I'll shut him up," Hulk growls, raising a fist to come crashing down on the scattered Graviton.
Talbot fell to his knees, his hands splayed out across the deck, his long wild hair hanging over his eyes. Hank reaches out to stop the Hulk, "Wait! Let me."
He pointed his gun at Graviton and pulled the trigger.
Janet felt a rush of vertigo as the world seemed to shift around her.
Suddenly she was falling, the entirety of the Raft now hanging above their heads, Graviton clinging to it, a dark gleam in their eyes as they looked towards her.
Hank fired and the shot shattered against a barrier of pure gravitic energy.
She shrank, bolting away as several pieces of the Raft began to rip away and fire down at the falling heroes. Gravattack reached out, snagging Hulk and Hank, the former using Ben as a platform to lung right back up at Talbot, with Daisy mimicking with a burst of vibrations.
Talbot sneered and held up his hand, freezing them both in midair.
"This has been entertaining, but I'm getting very tired of this little exercise!" Talbot roared, pivoting them both and shifting the entirety of the Raft as he floated up into the air.
Wasp fired a barrage of blasts towards him, most pinging off his gravitic shield, but one managed to catch him in the temple, earning her a sneering glare.
Setting Hank atop his head, Ben stopped his momentum and cast both hands up at Talbot.
"How about a taste of your own medicine!" Ben shouted as a wave of gravity blasted into Talbot, tearing away at his shield.
Graviton snarled and cast his hand out, his gravitic powers clashing with Ben's. There was a loud tearing sound, and Wasp felt her whole body shudder to the left as, not far from her, a miniature black hole ripped its way into existence.
Ben's eyes went wide as Graviton sent it soaring towards her, her body searing with pain as it began to suck her into it, only for Ben to drop his hands and it to dissipate with an eerie sigh.
"I think you'll find I have you at a disadvantage, mutant," Talbot remarked, glaring down at Ben, who raised a rocky eyebrow.
"You sure are a cocky one, general," Ben remarked as he waved his hand, and Daisy and the Hulk lunged back into motion, followed by Wasp, fluttering around more of her blasts finding their mark within Talbot's weakened shield.
Talbot snarled and punched forward at the assembled heroes, the entirety of the Raft rocketing towards them with a sudden burst of speed.
Wasp felt herself suddenly grow heavy, and a moment later, Ben had her in his hand as he dropped out of the way of the racing prison complex.
Daisy covered her arms across her chest while the Hulk roared and punched forward. Still, both disappeared into the metallic mass of the Raft as it rocketed downward, slamming into one of the fair docks in an explosion of dust, shearing metal, and water as the dock began to crumble into the surf.
"We can't let him get into the city!" Wasp yelled as he whirled on them.
"Again, open to any ideas!" Ben shouted, raising a barrier to block the next attack only to end it early as a hint of another black hole burst into existence, "I go on the offensive, and things will probably get much worse very quickly."
"So, Hail Mary time?" Tony asked over the comms, and a flurry of rockets bombarded the unsuspecting Talbot, followed by an immense blast of particle energy as Tony opened up the arc reactor and let loose.
Wasp burst into motion, a flurry of bolts sinking into Talbot's body, crackling electricity snaking across his skin, followed by Ben looking up at Hank who had been holding onto his head with a deep calculating look the entire time.
Hank looked down at him, "Can this form increase an entity's mass?"
Ben grinned, "Oh, yeah!"
"Good, throw me," Hank stated as he leaped off Ben's head.
"I'm starting to think most of the folks on this team are upset they can't fly." Ben snarked as he slapped his hands together, Hank freezing in mid-air, "Thank you for choosing Air Tennyson."
He punched both hands forward, and Hank fired off like a bullet.
Wasp looked over as she continued to bolt around, irritating Talbot as Hank suddenly grew, curled up like a ball, growing to nearly twenty feet tall. She quickly darted out of the way as Hank slammed into Talbot, and he rocketed towards the carnage he'd made out of the Raft, as Hank began to shrink once more, Janet diving to catch him.
"What was that?" Wasp asked incredulously as Tony rocketed past her, Ben a step behind.
"An unconventional application of force and mass," Hank stated with a slightly mad smile.
"You just wanted to know what it felt like?" Wasp accused as they lowered towards the carnage.
"Maybe a little." Hank returned with a smile.

Ben landed staring around furtively for Talbot and his friends, spotting a shifting mass of metal not far from him. He cautiously approached as Tony landed beside him, the pair raising their hands.
Ben lifted his hand skyward, and the slab of metal rose, revealing Daisy, bruised and bleeding but looking surprisingly alright for being smacked out of the sky with an entire prison complex.
"Where is he?" she asked, stumbling to her feet and looking around aggressively.
"Slow down. That was a pretty bad hit," Ben stated, offering a hand up out of the wreckage.
"I'm fine." Daisy stated, still hunting for any sign of Graviton, "What happened?"
"Hank decided he wanted to play cannonball." Janet stated, as she dropped Hank and flitted about Ben's large form, "And this one was the cannon."
"I mean, it worked, didn't it."
The entirety of the Raft juddered beneath them.
"Cut the chitchat!" Tony stated, every weapon on his armor opening up as it shifted once more.
"Rich coming from you, Tony," Ben grumbled, focusing on shifting his form, as the other fell into fighting stances, only for a meaty, green hand to punch through a portion of the Raft and then tear more of the metal away like wet tissue-paper revealing the Hulk, who looked madder than Ben had ever seen him, which was something.
"Where?" Hulk asked, his teeth clenched as he moved towards them, his rage-filled eyes darting around for Talbot.
"That's the million-dollar question, big guy."Janet stated, darting towards him, "You alright?"
Hulk chuckled, "Really, Tiny?"
She shrugged as Tony snapped all of his weapons closed, "Right, fan-out, find him and dog-pile before he can regain focus.
He then looked up at the Hulk, "Punt him away from the City, if you would please."
Hulk glared down at Tony, "No promises."
Janet winced outwardly, to which the Hulk immediately amended his statement, "Fine."
Hank and Janey paired up, dodging through cracks and crevices, seeking any clue that Talbot and his constituents had gotten tangled up in his own carnage.
The Hulk lunged away, disappearing in the smoke, while Tony turned to Daisy and Ben, "Keep comms open, you find him, yell, right?"
Ben gave him a thumbs up, while Daisy just nodded, not looking at him.
Tony disappeared into the smoke, leaving Ben to follow Daisy as she set out, both of their eyes peeled.
"Can I ask a question?" Ben asked.
"Now?" Daisy fired back.
"I mean, kind of fits the current situation we're in." Ben returned, "What did Talbot do to you, and some of the others? He's dangerous and unstable, but everything that's happened today feels...deeply personal."
Daisy stopped, partially turning to look at Ben, a conflicted look on her face, "We trusted the person Talbot used to be, well some of us did, we knew most of us through SHIELD, he was kind of a mentor and friend to most of the people I used to work with, Fury added him to the initiative after he got powers."
"And his Freaky Friday switcheroos?" Ben asked, looking about for any sign of Graviton, but there was nothing, which he found to be even more worrying than the maniac screaming and breaking the laws of psychics.
"Talbot's power comes from an odd alien metal. It...possesses you in a way. All you need to do is touch it, and if you're lucky...well," she gives a bitter frown and gestures around them.
"And if you don't?" Ben asked.
"That's what happened to the first two, Ian Quinn and Franklin Hall, the first was a problem for SHIELD for a short while, and the other was a tragic accident."
"And the 'psychopathic' teenage girl'?" Ben asked
"Ruby Hale," Daisy stated, her voice very biting, "She was already unstable before getting infused with the Gravitonium. Accidentally killing her boyfriend didn't help the situation. She hurt a good number of people I care very deeply about, and...she blames me for what happened to her?"
Ben gave her a look, "You hesitated...is she right to?"
"I...it doesn't matter right now, Ben." Daisy stated with a sigh, "But that's where some of the personal beef comes from, but Talbot betrayed every person here that isn't you. He maimed Hank, tried to kill Tony and Bruce, was willing to hurt Jan, and he...well, he knows what else he did."
Ben opened his mouth to ask another question only for an echoing shout to catch their attention, followed by a gravitic pulse and the sound of shattering stone that parted the dust and smoke, revealing about a hundred feet away Graviton standing over a pined Tony. At the same time, the peer behind Tony had crumbled into the bay.
"Third times the charm," Ben snarked, putting out his palm towards her.
"We need to get you a new playbook." Daisy returned.
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," Ben stated, "Besides, I think I might actually have a baseball career in my future."
She shot a look at him as he tossed her, "What? I've gotten a strike every time!"
He took off after her as she slammed into Graviton, knocking him away from Tony with a Quake, Hulk leaping out of nowhere and slamming a shipping container down atop him as he was pushed backward.
Graviton blasted it off him, sending Hulk soaring into the air, and held him there before sending a backhanded blast towards Daisy, sending her careening back into Ben, who managed to catch her but was knocked off his feet.
Wasp darted over their heads, firing a barrage, several shots finding purchase.
"I am so tired of fighting you, people!" Talbot shouted, a wave of crushing gravity bursting outward to strike all of them.
Ben resisted it, only being pushed down to his knees, while the others were slammed flat to the ground, even Tony where he was feebly coming too, Daisy resisted her whole form vibrating, but she failed to rise.
Hank looked up at them all.
"Talbot, please." Hank stated, "You're sick. Let us help you."
Talbot ignored him, stalking towards Daisy before stopping next to Wasp with a look on his face with a flat expression.
His features shifted briefly, and standing in his place was Ruby Hale.
"Talbot's not home at the moment, Doctor." Ruby remarked, reaching down towards Wasp, her hand elongating into writhing metallic tendrils, "But I agree, you can help us."
She looked up at Daisy with a smarmy smirk.
"No!" Daisy shouted as the tendril inched closer and closer to Janet as she struggled.
"Hey! Talbot! You're really gonna let a teenage girl call the shots?" Ben interrupted, struggling to inch forward as, above them, Hulk struggled in the air though he had no purchase on anything that would allow him to escape, "I thought you were a General?"
Ruby's form shimmered, and she laughed, "You caught on that it's easy to ego trip him, huh?"
"I think you all are." Ben answered with a smirk, "I mean, come on, some of that god complex has to be a shared head-case, yeah?"
Behind her, Ben could see Hank fiddling with his helmet, a barely audible whisper catching his ears.
"We don't know you." Ruby stated, fully turning to look at him, "We don't even know what you are?"
"I'm a lot of things, honestly ." Ben snarked, "The new guy mainly, but right now I'm the distraction."
Holly blinked, "Wha-"
Her question turned into a pained scream as a large winged ant sank its mandibles into the back of her neck, followed by several more.
Her concentration broke enough that Ben managed to raise an arm, blasting her off her feet with a wave of force.
She slammed into a shipping container, the jarring slam dazing her enough to free the others who all clambered to their feet as Talbot regained control.
"I am shocked that worked," Ben stated, as the others bolted for Talbot, who rose into the air, his face contorted in fury as rubble, shipping containers, and pieces of shorn metal began to orbit around him.
Above him, the Hulk continued to struggle, snarling at the seemingly pointedly ambivalent Talbot.
"This ends now," Talbot remarked, the combined shrapnel soaring down towards them, only to be blocked by Ben forming a reverse gravity causing the assembled items to flounder in midair.
"I agree, General." Hank states, a slightly mad look in his eye, "Ben, us the Accelerator Cannon on Daisy."
Gravattack blinked, "What?"
Wasp sighed, "He means that cannonball trick you just pulled."
"Oh," Ben looked up, spotting the Hulk, and gave Daisy a grin, "I see a chance for a home run!"
"We...really do need to figure out more unique fighting styles," Daisy muttered as he scooped her up.
"Just hit him!" Tony shouted, sitting up from his position on the ground, his armor sparking in several places.
"Launching!" Ben yelled, increasing Daisy's mass as she let out a vibrational pulse of her own, her form blurring into a large, grey bullet as it slammed into Graviton with a thunderclap so loud it shattered windows within the main hub of the city.
Talbot rocketed upwards, his concentration breaking on his hold on Hulk, who dropped with a grin followed by a roar as he rolled and brought a hammer fist down on Talbot's back as Daisy quaked herself out of the way.
Gravattack switched focus, increasing the pull of gravity on the Hulk while lessening its hold on Daisy, allowing her to float downwards slowly. Concentrating even more, he drew his limbs into his body pulled Tony, Janet, and Hank towards him as he jettisoned himself backward.
The Hulk hit, the entire pier shaking and cracking into a fractured mess, parts of which began to sink into the bay readily.
Hulk leaped backward as Talbot stumbled to his feet out of the crater.
"No, I'm not going back!" Talbot roared.
"Well, considering that the raft is currently in a heap all around us, you're right, Talbot." Tony stated, as once more, every weapon port on his armor opened up, "But you are going away."
Talbot disappeared in a hail of rocket fire and repulsor blasts, a cloud of smoke appearing around him that Ben quickly dissipated.
Graviton was teetering on their feet, their face shifting as they spoke.
"I'm not-" Talbot began.
"Done!" Ruby screamed.
"Finish it." Franklin Hall stated, his eyes pleading before Ian overwrites him.
"If you can!" Ian cried, beginning to laugh, as his face shifted back into Talbot's.
He scrunched up his fists, glaring down at Daisy and Tony, and then whirled on the Hulk as he took a step closer.
"I'm the most powerful being on this planet!" Talbot roared, getting a chuckle out of the Hulk.
"That's debatable." Tony snarked.
"I-" a bolt of yellow energy cut him off to the temple from atop Ben's head. The others turned, seeing Wasp sitting there.
Talbot keeled forward, a tired gasp leaving his lips.
"Most powerful, indeed." Janet snarked, laying back on Ben's head, "I need a nap."
Ben shifted back to normal, "So...now what do we do with them?"
The others shared a look as the Hulk picked Graviton and threw them over his shoulder.

Several minutes later, what felt like all of SHIELD had rolled up, the Helicarrier hovering above the shattered pier, the thunder of its engines drowning out all other noise.
"This could have gone better," Coulson stated, as several agents loaded Graviton into a containment cell, which immediately filled with anesthetic gas.
"It also could have gone a lot worse," Daisy stated, shooting him a conflicted smile.
"You okay?" Coulson asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"I...yeah." Daisy stated, turning to the cell as it was pushed onto a quinjet, "Lot of old baggage got stirred up, is all?"
"And the others?" Coulson asked.
"Hank and Tennyson are in high spirits. They're discussing 'team tactics,'" Daisy stated with a bit of a laugh.
"Oh?" Coulson queried, turning to look at where a SHIELD Medic was patching up Hank while Ben was emphatically discussing an idea with him. Wasp sat next to Hank, laughing and interjecting every once and again, but her eyes kept flicking towards the departing cell and the Hulk, who was standing a fair bit back from the chaos.
"Yeah, you never know what strange thing is going to capture Dr. Pym's attention, but he wants to discuss varying our attack plan to include some fast-paced, nonlethal tactics focused on Tennyson's abilities."
"Speaking of Tennyson," Coulson stated, lowering his voice, "What are you thinking?"
"Honestly...I think Fitz might have been right." Daisy stated, "I think he's an alien or something of that nature. He plays it pretty well, but amnesia doesn't explain the small, everyday things he seems to be confused about. Household names and brands, celebrities, movies, the list goes on. He's a good actor, though. I'll give him that. If it hadn't been for you and May, I don't think I would have caught him in some of his lies."
"Hmm, well, don't push anything just yet, I know Fury wants answers, but he's on our side for now," Coulson remarked, looking at Ben out of the corner of his eye.
"And if he actually isn't?" Daisy asked, turning to look at him.
"Then we handle it." Coulson stated, "What about the others?"
"Jan...seems like she's living her best life, but there are moments where she seems conflicted or lost." Daisy stated, "I trust her more than the others, though."
"Stark and Banner?" Coulson queried.
"Tony is as quirky and difficult at times as you told me he'd be." Daisy stated, "He knows something's off with Ben, but he doesn't seem to be bothered by it. There are also moments where he just goes quiet when he thinks no one is looking, eerily pensive."
"He's been through more than most," Coulson stated, looking over to where Tony seemed just to be staring out over the waves, turning his head slightly, "I think he feels guilty."
"About what?" Daisy asked.
"The mess we've found ourselves in now." Coulson stated, "Stark's a futurist. He's always got a plan. He pulled away following the Invasion, and now that things have gone so far sideways, I think maybe it's eating at him."
Daisy looked over at Tony and then turned to where Banner had emerged, walking over to join Ben, Hank, and Janet, the latter of whom, threw a gentle arm over his shoulder and began asking him a few questions.
"And Banner?" Coulson asked.
"He's changed, since we dealt with him last, whatever he was doing with Stark all those years...I don't know...something different." Daisy stated, "The Hulk talks and banters. There is something about him, though, that puts me on edge, something dark."
"I got a look at that in Central City." Coulson stated, "Fury wants him under surveillance."
"Like Ben?" Daisy asked.
"Something like that, but don't worry about it. I'm just letting you know." Coulson stated, as his earpiece beeped, "Right, that's Fury now. Take care of yourself Daisy, check-in soon. The Team misses you."
"I will," she said with a soft smile, drawing Coulson into a hug and then stepping away.
She turned and looked at her bantering teammates, all of whom, she felt in some fashion or another were keeping something from her, and then looked over at Tony, still standing alone.
"You alright, Stark?" she asked as she approached him.
He jolted, turning to look at her, the faceplate retracting to reveal a heavily bruised face, "Yeah, just thought I saw something?"
"What?" Daisy asked, joining him at the side of the pier.
"Something in the water, probably just seeing things, Talbot might have knocked me cross-eyed." Tony joked, tapping the side of his head.
"Might want to get that looked at. I don't think we could handle you being any more scatter-brained," Daisy stated with a smile.
"Oh, you most definitely couldn't," Tony said with a soft chuckle.
Daisy looked down at the water, remembering her time with Ben beneath the waves, "Ben did say he thought he say something down there."
Tony nodded his head, "Huh, eh, it's probably nothing. Let's grab the others and head back to the tower. I feel like a long soak in the jacuzzi is in my near future."
Dairy stared at him, "We have a hot tub?"
"Did...did I not tell any of you that?" Tony asked with a surprised look.
Daisy shook her head and headed over to the others, leaving Tony a step behind.

Tony stared after her and then turned and looked back at the shatter pier next to where he'd been standing and snapped his faceplate back down.
Graviton had gotten the drop on him because, at the moment, something much more important had been sitting there.
Thor's Hammer now vanished beneath the waves, and according to his sensors, nowhere to be found.
"So, it looks like we're not gonna have to cover it up." Tony snarked bitterly as Blue's display emerged.
"Adding it to the list of problems that are going to come back and directly bite you on the ass." Blue snarked, actually adding the file to a list on the side of Tony's display.
"It's another deviation...whatever comes. It's better than the alternative." Tony returned, turning and going to join his teammates.
"Whatever you say, Boss."

Deep beneath the waves, lightning flashes in the darkness as a lone figure darts through the water, formally unthought-of power rushing through their limbs. A boon handed to them by the Gods surely.

Harlem, New York City 9:07 PM EDT.

"Olivia, wait!" a voice called out, coming from a fairly tall, hooded figure as they stumbled after a quickly running girl, wearing a green blouse over top black pants, and beat-up sneakers. A backpack on her back is covered in scrounged patches and key chains that all resemble memorabilia taken from the Bronx Zoo.
"This way!" she called back, darting around a corner, "We're getting close."
"Close to what?!" the figure called out, the light of a street lamp catching green and brown scales emerging from beneath the hood, "It's not safe for us to be out here like this!"
"I know, it will be quick, but we need to find them!" Olivia called back.
"Them, who?" Dr. Conners asked as he took a running leap and scooped Olivia up, his hood coming momentarily free as she darted into an alley, revealing his partially Vaxasaurian features, his face relatively human outside of the thick brown scales stripped with green and the slit nostrils.
"I don't know." Olivia said with a smile, "But they're important,"
"How do you know that?" Dr. Conners asked, fighting a smile at that elated look on his young savior's face.
"Because…" she began ominously as her eyes glowed green, "I can 'see' him, and he's an alien!"
"He's over there," she stated, around a corner, where a large dumpster blocked the view.
Conners looked over at the dumpster and back at Olivia and sighed, "Be careful."
"I always am." she stated as he set her down, "Besides, I know you'll keep me safe."
"That I will." Connors agreed as they both rounded the corner and found a bearded, tall blonde man dressed in a ragged hoodie, worn jeans, and old work boots asleep on several ripe, overstuffed bags of garbage.
"Uh...Olivia, are you sure that this is-" Connors let the question hang.
She smiled up at him, and her eyes glowed green as she tapped the man's arm, revealing an internal structure that was fairly similar to human biology.
"Their muscles, organs, and even their bones are lined with naturally occurring metal filaments comparable in tensile strength to tungsten. Conductive metal is also present in the individual's nervous system. Lung capacity greatly exceeds that of a Human being. The dermal layer shows resistance to extreme temperatures comparable, including submergence in lava and the void of space. Their blood is filled with an unknown substance that seems to hint at artificially increased longevity. New species discovered, searching Extranet sources, Asgardian DNA cataloged." Olivia rattled off, her eyes blinking yellow briefly, before she looked up at Connors, "See, not Human."
"Asgardian." Dr. Connors muttered, a look of perplexed confusion crossing his face as he stared down on the man, a vague memory of a similar face fighting to emerge from his mind.
At that moment, the man stirred, his eyes cracking open, revealing befuddled blue orbs and taking in his surroundings before jolting backward at the sight of Dr. Connors.
"What are you?" the man cried, falling backward, tripping over garbage, accidentally punching his fist through the brick wall as he tried to catch himself, taking that in with a confused blink.
He turned back to them, his face locked in utter confusion, "What...am I? Where am I? Who are you? What are you…."
"You just asked that." Olivia pointed out, "This is Dr. Connor's. He's a friend."
"A friend." the man muttered, "Do I know you?"
"Not yet, but you can!" Olivia cried excitedly, digging in her backpack, "I'm Olivia, and this is Snipper!"
She drew out a rather irritated-looking blue cat with four eyes and six legs.
"That...is...strange." the man stated, looking at the animal for a few moments, before looking up at Dr. Connors, "Where am I?"
"New York City, specifically Harlem," Curtis stated.
The man mouthed the name but didn't seem to find any recognition.
"I...I'm sorry, but I don't, I can't…" the man muttered, looking around in confusion before looking down at Olivia, "I don't know who I am?"
Dr. Connors opened his mouth only for Oliva to cut across him, "Well, isn't that your name?"
She pointed at a small name tag on the left side of his hoodie, which he had overlooked.
Peeling it off, he turned it around, reading the words.
"Your name is Donald Blake. Stay close to those that find you."
Donald stared at the name for a few seconds, then up at the odd reptilian doctor and the bright-eyed girl with her odd cat.
"I'm Donald Blake. Nice to meet you," he said, sticking his hand out for Dr. Connors to shake.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Avenger's Tower, New York City, October 31st, 5:00 PM EDT

"Man...how are you so good at this?" Ben muttered as "GAME" flashed on-screen for what must have been the thirtieth time as Fetch's chosen character, this time Ike, appeared celebrating, and in a break from reality, reached out of the screen and gave her a fist bump.
"Is that really a question?" Fetch asks, raising an eyebrow.
Ben opened his mouth to respond, thought better of it, and changed tracks: "Sorry you're still stuck here, instead of at Xavier's...with people that might actually be able to beat you at this game.
It had been ten days since the Avengers originally planned to drop off Fetch at Xavier's Institute. Still, an almost comical series of events had afflicted the Institute, which led to the postponement of her visit. It had started as something called a "Dead Pool situation," which, from Tony's cackling laugh and the displeased look on Daisy's face when that had been announced, led Ben to believe that whatever that was, it wasn't enjoyable. From there, it had snowballed, with a good handful of the school's teachers currently dealing with something on the Moon. If anything, Ben was even more intrigued to meet the academies' staff and founder, but it would have to wait at least one more day before he could go to drop off Fetch with the others.
"Right, because I'm definitely hating being 'stuck' living with superheroes, with their robot butler, state-of-the-art entertainment system, and a personal fridge stocked full of my favorite snacks." Fetch snarked, smiling up at him.
"I am not technically a robot or a butler Miss Fetch." JARVIS interjected, his hologram emerging from the 'glass' coffee table in front of them, "But I am glad that you have found your stay here enjoyable."
"Sorry, and it has." Fetch stated, looking up at Ben with a smirk, "Getting to kick his butt at video games has been pretty great too."
Ben narrowed his eyes playfully, "Think you're getting a big head there, kid. Time for me to even the playing field."
"Oh, yeah?" Fetch asked as he transformed, shrinking down.
"Yeah, Grey Matter is the smartest being in...well, probably the city." Grey Matter stated, with a sharp-toothed smile, "I think I can figure out strategies to beat you in a kid's game."
She laughed, "That is still so weird."
"Enough talking, let's game!" Ben stated, hoping around the controller, his mind already moving a mile a minute.
She nodded, and they began to play, though she still seemed to have an edge. However, out of the corner of his eye, Grey Matter could see her face begin to fall ever so slightly.
"Ben...do I really need to leave?" she asked, looking at him.
He stopped his attack that would have sent her character soaring off the platform and paused the game with a tap of his foot, turning to look at her.
"Well, I don't honestly know that much about Xavier's, but they can help you figure out your powers, help you get strong, let you be around kids your age that know what you are going through." Grey Matter stated, "There is a higher statistic likelihood of continued happiness and developing friendships in that scenario than here."
"But...what if I don't like it there." Fetch muttered, "What if they don't like who I am. I'm different."
"Well, you don't know if any of that is true, now do you, as they say about assumptions and all that." Grey Matter remarked, "And I would argue that all of the kids at that school are pretty "different." Which is never a bad thing, by the way."
"No, I don't mean my powers, I-I mean..." Abigail began, stuttering slightly and looking a little afraid.
"Hey," Ben stated, leaping up onto the back of the couch next to her, "The only opinion that should matter when it comes to who you are is your own. That being said, I think you're pretty great, and I'm sure those kids will too, as long as you don't beat them too badly at video games."
She laughed and nodded, "Thanks, Ben. I am gonna miss this place."
"You'll be back, pretty sure I already saw Daisy drafting up some future paperwork," Ben stated with a grin as they picked up their game, "Had a big red 'A' on it."
"Really?" Fetch asked, giving him an excited look, and this time he decided to get in a few dirty hits, "Hey!"
"I mean-" he paused as the doors of the elevator opened, revealing Wasp dressed in a beautiful black dress with a yellow belt, black gloves accented with gold, a necklace set with topaz, and a pair of fairly nice-looking sunglasses. She talked to a hologram that showed an image of Bruce, slightly disheveled and standing somewhere partially darkened.
"I am sorry, Jan.," Banner stated, looking a bit sheepish.
"It's fine, Bruce. It was just so sudden." Wasp stated, waving him off but around the corner of the couch Ben say her facial expression fall slightly as Banner looked over his shoulder in the hologram.
"It was sudden for me too, but if Gamma Radiation is being detected at the Zoo, that is definitely something that needs to be looked into," Bruce states, his eyes flicking to another screen out of view as he began to type away.
"Of course." Jan agreed, shifting her stance slightly, leaning into the screen with a smile, "I was looking forward to tonight, though."
"Really?" Banner asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I was really looking forward to dancing with...well seeing you dance, let's say." Jan amended with a smile.
"I have two-left feet, likely would have been a good laugh to quite a few people." Banner returned with a slight smirk.
"Maybe, maybe, but it would have been nice...to spend time doing something that isn't just fighting crazy people and aliens," Jan stated, softly, her eyes shifting over to where Fetch and Ben were staring at her from the couch, their heads turned at the same angle.
"I definitely don't disagree, Jan, but I thought you liked fighting." Banner remarked.
Janet laughed lightly, "You're right...it...just be careful, Bruce, and you owe me a dance when you get back."
"Duly noted." Bruce stated, "Though, I think the Big Guy will still be able to hold his own here if it comes to it."
"I would hope so, see you later, Bruce," Janet said with a soft smile.
"Have a good night, Jan.," Bruce returned.
The call ended, and she sighed before turning to look at Ben and Fetch.
"What was that?" Ben asked.
"There is a charity ball at Linda Carter Children's Hospital, raising money for children affected by the Dome. Bruce was going to be my...plus one, but Fury needed him for something at the Zoo," Wasp stated with a bit of a huff.
"Well...what about the others? I'm sure they could go with you." Ben offered, narrowing his eyes slightly at her behavior.
"Daisy is on the West coast working on something for Coulson and his team, Hank is back in Central City looking into the Particle Accelerator with Dr. Snow," she bounced her eyebrows at that with a smirk, eliciting a shake of Ben's head, "And Tony's just gone."
"He's gone?" Ben asked in confusion.
"Yeah, he does that, disappears for a few days, and shows up like nothing happened. Might just be doing business for Stark Industries, but he could also be partying it up in Mardipoor for all I know."
"Huh," Ben muttered, filing that info away along with the multitude of other things he would have to Google when he got the time.
"So I could go alone, which is a bad look for a charity event based around something we're dealing with personally." Janet noted, "Or you're my new plus one, though not as a weird little frogman."
"What about Fetch?" Grey Matter asked, nodding to her.
Janet looked at her, "She could come with free food, a bit of dancing, good music, if, of course, she's comfortable with that."
"Do I need to dress up?" Fetch asked, looking a little suspicious.
"I can pick something out that I think you'd love," Janet stated.
"Can I keep my hoodie on?" she asked, tugging at the hood.
"Of course, if that makes you comfortable," Janet stated with a soft smile.
"Okay, sounds kinda cool." Fetch stated.
Grey Matter shifted back into Ben, "I'm guessing I don't have a choice in my apparel?"
Janet smirked, "No, but I promise you'll love it."

"I promise you'll love it!" Olivia stated, leaping about outside the Vet Clinic within the Bronx Zoo.
Donald and Dr. Connors shared a look, the latter speaking up, "Why are you so set on going to this ball?"
"I don't actually want to go to the ball." Olivia stated as she picked up Snipper as he threaded between her feet and danced around with him for a few seconds, "Though that would be fun. You guys can dance if you want or get some free food."
"I like the sound of free food," Donald said earnestly, as Connors sighed and put his head in his hand.
"If not the ball, what are you actually seeking to do, Olivia?" Curtis asked, giving his ward a serious look.
Oliva stopped dancing and looked up at him, her eyes glinting with green light very briefly, "There are children at the hospital that need my assistance. I can help them. Like I did you."
Curtis looked down at his returned arm, tracing the scales with a finger. She had helped him, changed him beyond his wildest imagining, but she had saved his life. He'd also come to enjoy his new form, even though he still pondered how he would eventually return to his family.
"Alright, but I don't know if I should go along." the Doctor stated, gesturing to his reptilian features, "I feel as though I might stand out."
"Don't worry about that." Olivia stated with a smile as she draped Snipper around her neck, "This is going to be fun."

"Well, this is going to be fun." a bombastic stated as five individuals stared down from an opposing roof towards Linda Carter's Children's Hospital. Two limousines had just pulled up front, depositing quite a few well-dressed individuals, while others were bedecked in outlandish costumes.
"So much money is going to be thrown around in there." another voice noted, with a deep Australian twang, "Are you sure we can't filch a few pockets."
"You are on contract," a snide, demanding voice stated over the comms, "Pickpocket on your own time, besides I assure you that you will be well compensated for your time. AIM always pays its dues."
"Fine, fine," Boomerang remarks with a sigh as he finishes picking his teeth with one of his oddly lethal implements. Across from him, staring at him fairly disconcertingly, is a man dressed all in green, spinning an oddly high-tech flute between his fingers.
"The plan is simple. You and the Piper are to take out any guards that get in your way, while several drones and Mr. Marko provide an ample distraction for any intrusive do-gooders by attacking the ball itself."
"Ready and willing." a deep voice stated over the comms.
"Meanwhile, I will be following Mr. Rathaway and Mr. Harkness to acquisition our targets harmlessly and effectively. Yes, yes, but why can't we partake in a little showmanship." Mr. Atsuhiro asked, leaning forward on his cane, dressed in clothes resembling a street magician with a white mask with a vibrant smile covering his face.
"Because show-manship is likely to bring the Avengers down on top of you." the voice returned, "But please, do put on a show if you wish. The data I could collect from them bouncing you across the ballroom could be quite informative."
"Spoilsport." Compress muttered, turning and leaning back against the railing and looking up at the OPs leader.
"Collect the children, return to me and collect your payday. It is all elementary. Do well, and there will likely be more work for you all in the future. Fail, and well, I don't know where Nicholas Fury is sending Gifted individuals as most of his prisons have been cracked wide open, but I imagine it is not a kind place at all."
"And you promise that the Children will not be harmed?" the OP Leader asked, speaking up for the first time as she stepped from the shadows.
"I wish to help them, truly, on top of wanting to understand whatever might have caused the Dome and their sickness in the first place. To do this, I need them under my care."
"If you are lying to me…" the woman stated, her eyes hard as she fiddled with a section of her vibrant pink and blue hair.
"Then I am assuredly a dead man. I am not your enemy, my Lady. I, and therefore AIM, truly wishes to help those children. I brought you into this because of your reputation, honor, and, more importantly, your skill. If the others bungle this operation, it is on you to make sure it is salvaged in some fashion."
"Flattery won't save you if this all turns out to be false."
"Oh, I am well aware. Now, I hand the reigns over to you. Carter founded this hospital, and while I do not put much stock into conspiracy, the woman was believed to be a practitioner of the arcane arts. So everyone, stay on your toys and make good use of the gear AIM has gifted you." the voice stated.
"Good hunting." the AIM agent finished, the smile audible in his voice.
"Especially you…" he paused as there was the sound of shifting flesh, cracking bone, and sparking circuits as an immense sniper rifled emerged from within the woman's arm as she dropped to one knee and scoped in on the latest trio of individuals entering the hospital, revealing a brown-haired man in a dark green tux, a brown-haired woman dressed in yellow-and-black, and teenage girl dressed in a purple hood and a blue frilled dress.
"Nagant."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Linda Carter Memorial Children's Hospital, New York, October 31st, 7:00 PM EDT
Ben fidgeted with his tie for the fourth time since he'd entered through the front doors, looking around furtively as several people walked by him dressed in Halloween costumes."I still don't get why I couldn't just…" he mimes transforming, eliciting a giggle from Fetch.Jan smirks, fixing his tie with a roll of her eyes, "You look great. Now stop complaining, or I will zap you."She turns, and Ben allows a bit of impishness to come out, sticking a tongue out at her.Fetch laughs looking about the milling crowd, "This is a lot of people.""Yep! This ball always has a way of dragging the upper-crusts out of their pent houses." Janet remarks, shooting a glare at a wide and tall bald man as he walks past them arm and arm with a smiling dark-haired woman. Both are dressed in costumes resembling Vampires."And I'm guessing not because all of them have a deep love of philanthropy." Ben snarks.Jan laughs bitterly, taking Fetch's hand and slipping her other arm through Ben's, leading them both inside."Some, others are simply here to make an appearance, to look respectable," Janet states, smiling politely at a withdrawn looking man dressed in Victorian garb, who briefly nodded his head at the trio before turning his attention back to his own party, an older, balding man wearing a Sherlock Holmes outfit."Even with the Dome?" Fetch asks, looking up at her."Especially with the Dome," Janet notes, "There are faces from all across the Burroughs and beyond. Deep pocketbooks, which is good for the Hospital. I just…eh, I'm being a downer."Ben shoots her an intrigued look."You know a lot about these 'deep pocketbook' havers?" he asks.Jan laughs, "Tony might bankroll…pretty much everything, but he's not the only one with connections. Quite a few of these people are my customers."Ben stares at her blankly, and she shakes her head."I keep forgetting that you….""Forgot?" Ben asks, smiling."Correct. I'm a fashion designer, a really good one. My clients are more often than not." she gestures around, but Ben notices just a hint of displeasure."And you fell into fighting Crime how?" Ben asks.She laughs, "I came to fancy one Hank Pym."Ben blinks in surprise, and Fetch starts to pull away, getting bored of the conversation."Got over it, once I like actually got to know him." Janet snarks, "But we became friends. He was working for SHIELD, helping them develop tech to contain and nonlethally stop all the bad guys that seemed to be coming out of the woodwork. One lab accident later, I had powers, and I could finally do something to help stop all the terrible things that were in the news, just like the Iron Man."Ben laughs, "Did your opinion change after meeting him too?""Of course." Jan returns, "The rest is history, but I think we are boring her."She nods to Fetch, who has zeroed in on the array of food across the ballroom."Go on," she says.Fetch smiles and darts across the ballroom, drawing a few eyes.Jan slips her hand into her purse, bringing out several envelopes, "Right, we hand Tony, Daisy, and my donations off, and then we can start to have a bit of fun."She looks up and notices that Ben is staring behind him, at the far corner. She looks around him, spotting a young girl wearing a black cat mask, talking excitedly with an oddly familiar man with a shaggy blonde beard and a tall person in a very impressive costume, some kind of Lizard character."Ben?" Janet asks, reaching out to him.He jolts at her touch, looking at her, his eyes briefly glinting with green light."Are you alright?" she queries, leaning in."Yeah, I…" he falters, glancing back quickly and then smiling, "Nevermind, let's get over to the table before Fetch clears them out of salami rolls."He darts off, hands uncurling and curling into fists rapidly.She stares after him and looks back to the group, smiling despite herself as the girl begins to spin to the music, using the Blonde's hand to pirouette. He looks up at her, with a slight grin on his face and again she is struck by how familiar he seems.Shaking her head and pondering Ben's sudden shift in mood, she hurries after him."Progress?" Nagant asks, sweeping her gaze across the ballroom floor from her vantage point."Getting there, Shiela." came the terse reply and a grunt of effort.Turning her attention back to the ballroom she switches comms, "There are few big names in attendance. Falcone and his lapdog, Fisk, Wa-""My dear Lady, the preening of mob bosses is not my concern. Only the children and any that would get in the way of acquisition." the cold voice of her current benefactor returns."What of an Avenger?" she returns just as coldly, wondering yet again who she had thrown her lot in with."Which?" the voice demands, and she smiles despite herself hearing the pomposity give over to fear."The Wasp," she states, zooming in on the aforementioned heroine as she drags the younger man behind her to mingle with some new money entrepreneur."Ah, well, I imagine our compatriots can handle that." the voice states, "Is she accompanied?"Nagant describes the other man as she flicks her sight to him. He keeps checking over his shoulder and, for a moment, seems to look right at her, instinct causing her to pull up her shot."If he gets in the way, shoot to maim." the voice states coldly, "But do not kill him."The emphasis on keeping the man alive confuses her for a second, but she files it away into the growing amount of questions weighing on her starving conscious."Understood." she returns."Tell the others of the development, and order them to avoid them, excluding Marko, of course." the voice states, "I do not want to hear from you until after the mission is completed. Over and out."She does as he asks.Harley grimaces, "I didn't sign up to fight an Avenger, let alone two.""Oh, quit your bitching," Boomerang counters, drawing his hand back, titular weapon in hand, as he turns the corner, "We ain't gonna be fighting them if we do this right.""No plan ever survives first contact," Harley states with a grimace, even as he brings his pipe to his lips."No shit, but don't go jinxing this!" Boomerang hisses, "I need this payday.""For what more cheap booze and new frisbees?" Harley snarks.Boomerang turns, "Even if you're right that is none of your concer-""Gentleman." Compress interrupts, "As amusing as this little performance is. Can we get the show rolling, please?"The pair shoot him a look, and both of their mouths clamp shut as they turn back to the matter at hand."Right, my Lady, we are going in." Compress notes over the comms."Good. Marko, you are go in ten. Drones are on standby.""Wonderful." his thick voice mutters over the comms, followed by a dark chuckle, "Have fun, you three."Harley rolls his eyes and begins to play a lilting tune that seems to tug at the other's ears before they both turn on the gifted ear plugs that funnel out the sound.Boomerang peeks the corner again and sees the trio of guards begin to shake their heads, the one reaching for his radio. His first boomerang lances up, taking out the security camera."Sorry, mate!" Harkness barks, launching another at the offending guard, shattering his fingers, and eliciting a brief shout before another cracks him in the jaw sending him spinning to the ground.The second whirls woozily, reaching for his gun but the third lunges for him, brutally head butting him, knocking the pistol aside and laying a hammer fist across his temple, dropping him to the ground.He then drew his pistol and flipped it around, bringing it up to crack himself in the forehead, but he stays standing. A boomerang strikes him in the chest, a small burst of concussive force slamming him into the door with a muffled bang."I had him!" Harley snaps, bringing his pipe from his lips."You were taking too long." Harkness fires back."We were told, the least noise possible." Harley rebuts angrily.A shriek cuts them off as a gargoyle detaches from the building and lunges down at frighting speed.Its claws almost find Boomerang's face, only for it to vanish with a soft pop, a brilliant teal marble striking the ground and rolling away.The pair turn to see Compress, arm outstretched, three more marbles splayed between his fingers."We were also warned of magical defenses." he snarks, adjusting his jacket as he brushes past both of them, "Now as much as I love the mellow drama I can only believe is constructed on a bad break-up. Can we please focus on the matter at hand? Or am I the only true professional here?"The other two grumble but nod, sliding into the building ahead of him.Looking towards the building where Nagant was perched, he bows, doffing his hat with a flourish, and sidles inside.Ben winces as he almost steps on Janet's foot for what feels like the tenth time."Sorry," he mutters, with a sheepish smile.She laughs, spinning him around, clearly in the lead despite the foot of height he has on her.Fetch is sitting a bit off to the side, talking with a dark-haired boy that had seemed to materialize out of the crowd, and he could catch snippets of the conversation, something about a circus."So you still glad you took me as your date?" Ben asks, with a smirk, fighting to keep his eyes and not the eerily familiar brown-haired girl standing at the edge of the dance floor.Jan smirks, "I never said this was a date, but ask me about it after stepping on my toes for the eleventh time."He chuckles. "Alright."As the turn she amends, "No, this has been fun.""Just not as fun as you'd hoped," he states, catching himself as he almost bumps into another dancing pair."What makes you say that?" Janet asks with jokingly narrowed eyes."Well, I'm not the brightest bulb in the box, as I'm sure you've figured out." he jokes, "Especially when compared to Hank, Tony, or….Banner but I can notice things.""What are you getting at?" she asks."You seemed pretty down that Bruce couldn't make it, is all," he notes, shrugging his shoulders."Well, yes, because, well, I…" she says, trying to find something to say before stopping and looking at him flatly, "You know I've let you ask quite a few questions about me today, but I have yet to ask you anything.""You're dodging my implications," Ben notes."And you've been dodging questions for weeks." she returns, "I'm no Daisy, but I am SHIELD, I know when people are hiding things, Tennyson."He grimaces and finds his eyes drawn to that girl again, noticing that she had backed away from the dance floor and was making her way towards the men he could only guess were her guardians. He feels the urge to walk after her but catches Janet staring up at him critically."What is it?" she asks"Just thinking." he returns."More dodging," she notes with a mischievous grin."Fair, so…ask away." Ben states, stopping her with a raised finger, "But you have to tell me the deets about Banner.""Since you are so intrigued by my relationships." she snarks, "What was your deal with Kevin?"He pauses and chuckles, "Did Tony tell you we were dating too?"Wasp blinks, "No?!"She leans in conspiratorially with a wide grin, "Where you? Is that why you were giving Miss Tentacles a dirty look?""No." Ben states, "He's, he was just a really good friend. It was good to learn he was okay after everything.""I can imagine." Jan agrees."The Dome…" Ben remarks, pausing and swallowing as a flood of memories, guilt, and pain flashes before him, "It took a lot from me. I don't know all of it, but I know it was a lot."Jan pats his arm comfortingly, "I'm sorry.""D-don't be. I came out of it pretty fine, all things considered." Ben remarks, looking around the Hospital, "Especially in the context of this ball."A bit of the guilt seems to slip through as Jan tilts her head, "This isn't on you.""I…I know." he lies, looking away and finding his eyes drawn once more to the brown-haired girl, catching for the first time emerald green eyes looking back as she had lifted her mask to take a drink from one of her guardians."Ben?" Jan asks, following his gaze.He sees her eyes narrow, tilting her head."Do you know her? Them?" she asks, "Is something coming back?"She taps her temple.'N-No." he mutters, wincing as his head begins to ache suddenly, "I don't….""What's wrong?" she asks."Nothing, I just-" he rebuts."Janet van Dyne!" a voice interrupts.Ben turns, seeing a widely smiling, clean-shaven man with well-groomed black hair. He was dressed in a wizard's robe, finger marked with several fake rings, and a very fancy watch resting on his left wrist."Stephen Strange." she returns with a smile, holding out a hand, which he politely kisses with a smile."Please, my friends, call me Doctor." he jokes."It's a good thing we're just acquaintances then." Jan snarks with a bright grin.He laughs and turns to Ben."I don't think we've met," he states, sticking out a hand."Ben Tennyson," Ben remarks, shaking his hand, though fighting to wince as another pulse of pain goes through his brain."Good to meet you, Tennyson." Strange states, "Do you mind if I cut in?""Not at all," Ben states, stepping away from Jan, who gives him a worried look."Ben?" she asks, clearly worried."I'm fine. I just need a drink." Ben states, "Have fun."He turns on a dime, ignoring the burrowing state she sends after him, and gives Fetch a wide, hopefully believable grin as he passes her and her new friend."You finally free?" she jokes, leaning across the table as he passes."Yep, just grabbing a drink, and I'll be over," he states, ignoring the oddly piercing look the black-haired kid was shooting him."He doesn't look like he's feeling the aster." the kid remarks, eliciting a laugh from Fetch, "What does that even mean?"Ben reaches the punch bowl and almost keels over as another wave of pain rips through his brain.Flashes of creatures that vaguely resemble his alien forms rip through his brain, weird cacoons, the snarling faces of what Malware had become.And then suddenly, it all stops, and the pain draws away.He stares around and notices several pairs of eyes on him and Fetch a few steps away."Ben?" she asks, approaching him cautiously?"Yeah?" he returns, feeling something trickle from his nose. He reaches up, fingers coming away with blood with the faintest black and green coloration mixed in.He stares at that for several moments before carefully wiping his fingers with a napkin and pocketing it."Are you alright?" Fetch asks."I…yeah, why?" Ben lies."You're whole body was like…." Fetch waggles her arms and makes a bubbling noise, "Shifting.""I'm good." Ben states, "Promise, just a headache."Fetch purses her lips nervously.Ben turns back to the table and accidentally brushes up against another of the guests."Sorry," he remarks, looking at them in full, and freezing in surprise.It was the person in the Lizard costume or makeup, but this close-up, Ben could see that this was no costume. It was very real and eerily familiar. Thick scales, glinting with the faintest bit of gathered moisture, slit like nostrils, and the faintest hint of sharp fangs, great him as well as a set of worried and slightly fearful green reptilian eyes."Quite alright." the man states in a soft voice, turning quickly, and making his way towards the girl that had drawn Ben's eyes."Ben?" Fetch asks, appearing at his elbow."Right…might have lied." Ben remarks, backing up and whirling to try and find Wasp, "I think we might have a problem.""Oh?" Fetch asks, falling in step as he begins to hurriedly weave his way through the crowd.The boy leaps up as Fetch passes."What's up?" he asks."Not now, Dick." Fetch mutters; Ben pauses, looking at her in confusion."Rude," Ben remarks.The pair look at each other and crack up almost immediately."That's his name." Fetch states."Oh." Ben mutters before pushing the boy aside and continuing to hunt for Wasp, "Not now, Dick."He finds her in the middle of the dance floor, laughing at something the doctor said, but her smile immediately falters as she catches his worried expression."What is it?" she asks."I think we have a problem." Ben states, "The girl, the one with the Lizard.""Yes?" Janet asks, furrowing her eyebrows."That's not a costume." Ben states, "It's flesh and blood."Strange stops, "Really? One of the patients?""This is a children's hospital, isn't it?" Ben remarks, "They didn't sound like a kid.""Well…maybe we should-" Janet began.A loud crash shook the building.Followed by another, closer.And another. Suddenly, the far wall exploded inward in a wave of shattered brick and concrete shrapnel.The crowd screamed, flowing around them in panic.Ben looked up, watching the Lizard and the young girl slip through a door on the other side of the room."They're leaving!" he yells, and he rushes off, leaving Jan and Wasp staring after him as the former pushes the latter behind her."Ben!" Wasp demands, but he doesn't appear to hear him.She sees the blonde-haired man from before moving towards the cloud of dust.Several seconds later, several large spider-like robots lunge out of the dust, scattering more of the assembled crowd.As the dust clears, what remains of an ice-cream truck is seen with a giant man in a domed suit of armor sitting, munching lazily on an ice-cream sandwich."Here's Johnny!" the man jokes, chuckling to himself as he downs what's left of the sandwich.One guard draws his pistol, nervously pointing it at the man."I wouldn't." the large man warns.The guard fires, and the bullet pings off his helmet, burying into the floor, and all of the robots turn on him, glowing red dots appearing across his body."What did I say?" the man remarks almost lazily.He stands up, stretching his back, a cold smirk crossing his face."Anyone else wants to try?" he demands.Wasp's eyes narrow, and she catches the blonde man shift forward."Didn't think so." the man states, snorting and spitting a loogie on the ground, "Right, names Marko, others call me the Juggernaut, and unless you want this entire building coming down on your pretty heads, and those poor sick kids upstairs, you're gonna hand over everything you've got to my shiny little friends here. Understood?"Wasp takes a step back, urging Fetch to move as well, as she tries to find an opening to go after him.No one else speaks."Good! We all stay calm, and I promise no one gets hurt." Marko calls out before pointing at the guard, "Cept you. You didn't listen.""No!" Wasp cries as Marko lunges down at him.There is the sound of metal meeting flesh, and Marko stops in place.Wasp peers through the crowd, spotting the blonde man holding Marko's fist with a look of surprise on his face. The guard knocked to the ground."What the hell?" Marko demands, "How.""You know…" Donald Blake chuckles, "I don't actually know."Marko punches out again, and Blake catches it with little strain."You're the Juggernaut?" Donald asks, tilting his head, "Names Donald."And Wasp sees him kick the man in the chest, sending both him and the ruined ice cream truck rocketing out of the building."Nice to meet you," Donald calls out, lunging after him."What was that?" Fetch asks, looking up at her, confused."Just another day in New York." Wasp snarks, "Get somewhere safe, okay."Fetch nods, darting away, dragging her new friend behind her.And that's when the sniper fire began.The crowd scattered in panic, darting behind tables, Stephen rushing to aid a fainted patron and drag them to safety.Wasp allowed the energy to build within her hands.Just another day indeed."Bruce…you really should have been here," she remarks with a sigh, blasting the nearest drone with a bolt of energy."Avengers Assemble," she mutters to herself as they all turn to face her.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Olivia!" Connors calls out, chasing after her, "We need to leave!""Not yet!" she returns, slipping his attempt to grab her and pull her close."The hospital is under attack. You're in danger," Connors begs.She looks back at him, eyes glowing a vibrant green, "The patients here are in danger and have been since the Emergence. I need to help them."She ducked into the first room without another word, spotting four beds, curtains obscuring the occupants.Connors ducks into the room after her, looking around furtively, "Olivia….""Please wait." she returns, walking towards the first bed, her eyes changing to a vibrant yellow.Pulling back the curtain, she finds a sixteen-year-old boy with brown hair and pale skin, thin threads of black mar the back of his left hand.She steps forward, a curtain of yellow light crossing up and down his body."Name Peter Parker, Human, age 16 cycles, Blood type O, source of mutagenic distress: venom from a spider caught within the chaotic energies of the Emergence. DNA Signature: Meta-Gene not found, compensating, necessary Strands discovered: Arachnichimp. Activating Patch."She reaches out and softly grabs his hand, the boy twitching in sleep as the venom begins to glow a vibrant green and then dissipate. Connors watches, looking for noticeable mutation, but the boy seems completely normal at first glance, excluding a shock of deep blue that spreads through his hair."You're getting better," he notes, checking the rest of the boy's vitals as Olivia moved on.The next patient was another boy, part of his body covered with deep electrical burns.Olivia scans him."Virgil Hawkins, Human, age 15 cycles, Blood type A, source of mutagenic distress: copious amounts of electricity afflicting the brain. DNA Signature: Meta-Gene Found. Activation commencing, Bolstering Strand: Conductoid administered. Activating Patch."The burns vanish, the boy's fingertips briefly crackling with vibrant blue electricity.She continued forward, discovering a young girl."Kamala Khan, Inhuman, age 16 cycles. Blood Type A, source of mutagenic distress: Blockage in Terrigenisis Process. Stimulating Process, Bolstering Strand: Unnecessary. Activating Patch.Connors looks up to see the young girl gasp, a bit of green emerging from her mouth, and then suddenly a crystalline cocoon wrapped around her body.He steps forward in surprise, but Olivia looks up at him with a smile."She will be fine," she states."I have to ask, these Patches, why not just…return them to Human?" Connors asks.Olivia pauses as she crosses the room to the last occupant."I can't." she states, "Kamala could not be returned. The process would kill her unless activated. As for the others, I am…I do not wish…I can't…."Her brows furrow as she tries to find the answer before muttering, "I can't.""Alright," Connors says, reaching out a comforting hand and placing it on her shoulder.She smiles, patting his hand, then steps up to the last occupant, another boy, though younger than all the others."Sam Alexander, Human, age 13 cycles. Blood Type B, source of mutagenic distress: Copious amounts of stellar radiation infused within their body. DNA Signature: Meta-Gene not found, compensating, Strands discovered: Crystalsapien. Activating Patch."The boy's skin suddenly crystalizes and shimmers from within like a rainbow before returning to normal."Alright, next room," she states, darting under Connors' arms."Olivia…" Connors begins to admonish, following her out of the room.She freezes, staring down the hallway."Olivia?" Connors asks.Stepping out, he follows her gaze and spots three individuals leaving a room. The trio, dressed in fairly outlandish clothing, freeze as well, staring at them both.The tallest, a masked man, has several marbles in one hand that he quickly pockets.The one in the large blue coat and beanie raises a finger to his ear and nods."Take her," he orders, and the three men move forward.Connors snarls despite himself, tail lashing when another voice cuts through the tension."Hey!"Olivia turns.Standing flustered in a dark green three-piece suit is her brother, Ben Tennyson."What the hell is going on!" he demands, glaring down the hallway, eyes going to her first, then Connors, then the villains beyond.Janet lances into the air, dodging a tossed hot dog cart, which smashes into "Donald.""Is that the best you can do?!" he roars, with a laugh, as the Juggernaut appears from the dust choked crater he'd been punched into."Not even close," Marko snaps.He charges forward.A bullet whizzes by Wasp, several of the Drones chasing after her."That's right, chase the annoying gnat," she mutters, diving into a sight spin and lancing several blasts into the closest one, digging deep into its singular robotic eye.Noticing that several were continuing to harry the guests, a low snarl caught her off guard as off the side of the hospital, one of the gargoyles detached and body slammed one of her tails, ripping into it furiously.She buzzes to a halt, staring at the display, the beaked entity standing tall and turning to look at her."God, this City is so weird sometimes," she mutters to herself, "I'm gonna call you Brooklyn. Is that alright?"The entity stares at her, tilting its head slightly as its hand comes up to catch a strike from one of the other drones.A crack like thunder shatters the brief moment of quiet, and a chunk of the creature's chest erupts into shrapnel.The creature does seem bothered, but that recenters Wasp."Take care of the drones," she states, hoping that, whatever this thing is, it can understand that they are on the same side. The gargoyle turns, lurching towards the hole in the side of the hospital.She launches into the air, spotting the sight-gleam once again.Another shot, this time aimed at her, she twirls, the bullet roaring past her and striking "Donald," who stumbled right as Marko slammed into him, bull-rushing him into the back of a parked truck.Another shot, she dives, and then another ring's out, shattering the first in a rain of shrapnel that digs into her back.Wasp winces, her mind running through the horde of names SHIELD had presented with her from the Breakout.There were a few people with an impeccable aim and trigger discipline. She'd been friends with one of them for quite a few years.But most liked to have flair, playing cards, darts, and arrows. They all needed a gimmick.Another shot, and instead of dodging, she forces herself to go smaller, going from Wasp sized to that of a winged ant. The sound of the bullet-shattering glass urges her forward ever faster.But much as most of them were loathe to admit it, there was one person who could outshoot them all and needed little to no fanfare when doing it.Wasp rose over the side of the building and found herself looking down the barrel of an organic rifle."Nagant," she remarks."Van Dyne." the other woman coldly comments, twirling a blue and pink bullet between her fingers, "I read your dossier."The gun fires.Donald groans, ignoring the bullet lodged in his side, and rolls as Marko slams down, attempting to bury him in the metal.He launches a kick at the back of the larger man's knee, forcing him to stumble, and then punches him in the side of the head.There is a load-gonging noise, but the Juggernaut doesn't budge."Really?" Marko demands, "You looking to break that hand, tough guy?""Maybe." Donald snarks, crossing his hand over his face as the other man sends a return punch.He feels metal shear behind him, the scrape of concrete along his back as he bounces off it, and then the crunching of metal and shattering of glass as he impacts someone's car.Opening his eyes, he spots his charging opponent just in time to roll out of the way. Marko bodies the car and sends it slamming into the front of a storefront, embedding it into the building."How did that feel?" Marko asks, stepping out of the building."Someone is gonna have to pay for that." Donald remarks, getting to his feet and cracking his neck, "And honestly, something inside of me is saying it's gonna take a lot more than you to take me out."He feints, punching towards the head again, sliding in to crack Marko directly in the stomach, cutting off a laugh in a spit-filled gargle. The larger man flies back, skidding and rolling across the ground.He grinds a hand into the ground stopping his momentum, looking up just in time to catch Donald's knee right to his face.There is a cracking sound like a gunshot, and Marko roars.Donald smirks as his head rears down to reveal a broken and heavily bleeding nose."How'd that feel?" he snarks.Marko's only response is a guttural snarl and lunging at him.Harkness raises an eyebrow at the suit glaring at them from the other side of the hall."Listen, pal. You might want to skedaddle. This is about to get ugly," he warns, drawing another boomerang, and aiming it at the snarling Lizardman.The man takes a step forward, eyes narrowing.Compress states snidely, drawing a marble, "Then let's dance."Harley blew into his flute on that cue, an ear-shattering cry, cracking glass and sending their opponents to their knees.Harkness followed it up by sending a boomerang careening into the Lizard, an explosion sending him spinning to the ground."No." the girl cries, inching towards him, even as she struggles against the oppressive sound.The guy at the other end of the hallway looks up as Compress steps towards her, marble flipping across his fingers."Stop!" he orders, and his whole body begins to change. Harkness tosses his other boomerang, an explosion bathing the man in smoke.There is a flash of green.A small white figure with a wide head and slitted green eyes, wearing what appears to be a set of headphones, dashes out of the smoke."Sorry, you might not have heard me. There is a bit of an echo in here!" the creature shouts, seemingly immune to Harley's music.And then the thing screams, a rippling, bellowing wave of pure sound slamming into Harley and sending him spinning."That's better." the creature says with a smirk, its body rippling, two more appearing, then four.They dart past the girl and mob Compress and Harkness.The latter slams his cane down, the creature vanishing in a flash of light, then kicking another away, sending it careening through one of the cracked windows.Harkness lances down with two bladed boomerangs, cutting through several while the original dodges and weaves."Get her!" he orders, "Harley, get your ass up!"Compress whirls, marble sliding along his fingers, only for the Lizard to slam its immense tail into his body and crack the wall."I wouldn't." The Lizard warns, clutching the girl protectively to his side.Harley sits up, blasting the little shouting, cloning thing away with a bolt of music, and attempts to start playing once more.The creature splits, the one screaming up at Harkness, slamming his body into the ceiling, while the other slides across the floor and tackles Harley, who lets out an undignified squawk as the creature begins pummeling him.Compress sighs and brings his cane up in a furious strike, catching the Lizard in the base of the jaw, slamming his fanged teeth together, and drawing blood. The creature drops him, clutching his mouth, the girl crying out in surprise and fear.Another of the little creatures appears, mouth opening as it whirls on him"Hold that thought." Compress snarks, slamming a marble into the ground, a wave of frost snarling out from him, freezing the Lizard, the creature, and to a mixture of amusement and worry for Harkness, Harley."Finally." Compress remarks, pausing as Harkness slams to the ground, "Some peace and quiet.""Where were you hiding that?" Harkness demands."A good showman never reveals his secrets." Compress states, shattering one of the clones and tossing another marble at Harley, a brief flash of fire freeing the man.Gasping and frustrated, Harley shatters the little clone with his flute and glares up at Compress."What the hell?!" he demands, wincing at his split lip."You're fine." Compress snarks, drawing the other man to his feet and turning to look at his work, cracks already forming around the Lizard and the little figure before Harkness."But we might not be for much longer," he states, kneeling and offering a hand to the girl as she clutches the side of her frozen guardian."Come along, dear, do not make this any more of a problem than it already has been," he states calmly.She doesn't budge."Did you really think that was going to work?" Harley snarks, raising his flute to his lips, "You or Me?""I've got it, Harkness. Keep an eye on our little friend," he states, drawing a marble.Harkness kicks the little figure over and then slides him along the floor with another nudge, "Sure, we don't want to take him too?""More trouble than it is worth, according to Nagant." Compress mutters, taking out another pearl."That's the guy?!" Harkness asks incredulously, spitting off to the side, "Some Avenger."Compress lets the marble fly.And with a shatter of ice, the Lizard grabs it, vanishing into the marble, which clinks to the ground before the girl."Why can't it ever be easy." Compress mutters, drawing another pearl.Wasp bolts over the gun barrel just in time, though the sound rocks her entire body. She fights through it, growing and aiming a spinning kick at Nagant.She catches it with her forearm and retracts the rifle, aiming a punch at Wasp's ribs.The two continue to trade blows, kicks and punches flying, Nagan drawing a knife, and aiming careful, long practiced stabs, while Janet fires off blast after blast of energy."So you read my dossier?" Janet asks, shrinking out of the way of a slash and firing a bolt at her opponent's face, "I got to read yours. That practically makes us pen pals.""I don't do banter." Nagant returns, dodging backward out of the way of the blast."Oh, come on." Janet snarks, "I'm betting it's been a long time since you had a good bit of girl talk. Can't imagine the Raft allowed time for chit-chat.""This is a distraction tactic." Nagant returns flatly, round-house kicking Wasp in the side.Grimacing, Wasp nods, "Well, yeah. But come on, I always wanted to ask the world's best sniper how she claimed the title.""Hard work, dedication, and skill." Nagant fired back."See, Clint always thought that since your gun is literally a part of you, it gave you like this 'spiritual' know-how." Wasp jokes, dodging under Nagant's next slash and catching her in the stomach with an energy-infused punch."He was just jealous, compensated with trick shots." Nagant returns, hocking a wad of spit off to the side."So you do know Clint!" Janet states, "See, now, we are getting somewhere."Nagant stops, eyes narrowing, "Yes, I knew Clint through SHIELD. We were Cleaners."She charges Janet, her blows falling hard, her expression becoming wilder and wilder."We took care of the messes that SHIELD wanted gone. We were ordered to observe all assets in case they proved to be more of a threat than they were worth. Fury taking charge changed things, but not for us. So many threats never saw the light of day because of us, and so many Initiative Members mad with their own power put in their place." she remarks. "What did we get in return when we finally grew a conscience? He got a promotion and a new partner. I got the Raft. Suppose it doesn't really matter, though. SHIELD turned on us both anyway.""Clint was HYDRA," Janet states through gritted teeth as she weathers blow after blow.Nagant chuckles, "You really believe that?"Wasp falters, catching a punch to the face."Since you were fishing for info. I was on the Banner case." Nagant informs, "In the end, his shaggy head was saved from my bullet in a matter of seconds. The Hulk might be indestructible, but his Hyde very much isn't, or that's what SHIELD sold me anyway."Cold anger shoots through Wasp, and she lunges, her stingers burning with power, catching Nagant right in the jaw and sending her into the air.Despite the burns, Nagant smiles, "I thought you wanted to talk shop?"Her sniper emerges, firing instantly, Janet barely able to dodge, the shot grazing across her cheek. Nagant tackles her, planting one of her boots on her throat, the barrel of her gun resting just above her nose."You weren't part of the contract." Nagant stated, "But taking one of SHIELD's toy soldiers off the board will probably net me something."But the shot never comes, as instinctively Nagant dodges to the side, a gleaming metal blade slicing through her hair, a short, blonde man in a blue tunic appearing with a set expression."I love that girl," Wasp mutters as the summoned video game character continues to lunge at Nagant.Ben watches as the Lizardman disappears, and the masked figure shakes his head, drawing another marble. He shatters the ice with all his might he can muster in Echo-Echo's form.The trio of villains turns to him as he breaths deeply."Oh, no, you don't!" the guy with the boomerangs yells, and before he can do anything, he finds his mouth glued shut by a thick, tarry substance."Now Compress! This has become an utter shit show," he shouts.The girl backs away, scooping up the marble with her companion in it.Ben struggles, trying to pry the substance away from his mouth.The pearl flies.Smaller boomerang wings through the window, knocking the pearl aside and vanishing, followed by a slight figure wearing a cape dropping from the ceiling, tossing a smoke grenade, scooping up the girl, and lunging through one of the cracked windows."This has become almost comical!" Compress shouts.Ben stares in stunned confusion for several moments as the world feels like it slows down."Nagant, third story window, they have the girl. Wing them if you can!" Compress orders.Atop the tower, Nagant gets the message. Weaving between her attackers and extending her rifle to its full length, bowing under a sword slash, she sights the cloaked figure and fires.Donald looks up as glass shatters, a spotting Olivia in the arms of a small cloaked figure, a grappling hook halting their descent.Marko clocks him, sending him reeling to the ground.The giant raises his arms in a furious hammer fist.A gunshot rings out.The finger goes partially limp as she and Olivia crash through a second-floor window. She screams.Sounds echoing in his ears, Ben feels a fury ignite inside him, burning his entire body as he begins to change again."NO!" he roars, sleek blue and black metal replacing soft, white silicon flesh.Ultimate Echo-Echo rises from the ground, the sound partially cratering the entire hallway. He shouts again, a focused blast catching the three villains and sending them through the far wall out into open air.Atop the tower, Nagant freezes up, the scream echoing into her very soul, shaking her."What did you do?!" Wasp demands, but she can barely hear.Donald grits his teeth and kicks up into Marko's chest, he doesn't know it, but his eyes are glowing.Spectators would later recount the event as a "double thunderclap." An echo of destruction as several figures tumbled to the ground from the ruined wall of the Hospital. A bolt of lighting had fired upward into the sky at the other end.Compress struggles to find his footing, his whole body aching from the resonant sound that had just assaulted them. His mask is shattered, and the robotic figure appears in the hole, looking down at him through slitted, uncaring green eyes.Ben stares down at the man, his shattered mask revealing a fearful brown eye.Compress quickly gages the situation. He can make out two figures approaching Nagant atop her perch and sees Marko slumped in a smoking crater as a tall, homeless-looking fellow leaps away, heading towards the Hospital. The drones are gone, and his partners are barely moving."Show's over," he states, speaking the code-word into his comms."Already?" their backer snarks."Yes, Two Avengers, Marko is down, Nagant is compromised, I have what you need. We're done," he mutters softly as the metallic entity lowers slowly towards him, several blue disks rising around it like a halo."Fine."Ben fires as a black portal emerges beneath the trio's feet, but he only manages to powder concrete.Wasp fire as Nagant is swallowed, the blows catching her in the back of the head, but she takes them unflinching.Unseen, Marko sinks into nothing.Donald lands, pushing into the empty room, spotting Olivia frantically looking over a young man dressed in red and black with a dynamo mask over his eyes. His black hair is a mess, filled with shards of glass, and there is a clean hole right through his shoulder."Where is Conners?" Donald asks, and if, by magic, the Lizardman appears, staring around in angry confusion, which falters at the bleeding young man at Olivia's side."What happened? Who is that?" Conners asks, leaning in worriedly.Olivia ignores them, her eyes glowing yellow."Dick Grayson. Human, age 13 Cycles. Blood Type A. Trauma: Perforation of Left Shoulder Blade, Brachial Artery severed, damage to arm functionality imminent. Quickened Recovery required. DNA Signature: Meta-Gene not found, compensating, Strands discovered: Citrakayah. Activating Patch."She gently caresses his forehead, a green flash crossing over his body, and the wound begins to knit back together.She pulls back."Olivia…" Connors begins."I know. Let's go." Olivia states."We're just going to leave him?" Donald demands, "He's just a kid.""I'll be fine." Dick mutters, catching the trio by surprise, "Thank you."He lifts his mask slightly to reveal deep blue eyes, a mixture of fear and relief burning in them."Thank you," he mutters again."Of course." Olivia returns with a beaming smile.The kid awkwardly waves at the others, Donald returning it, and then vanishes in a puff of smoke."This town is weird," Donald remarks with a shake of his head.Connors scoops Olivia up, "It's certainly become more….""Interesting." Olivia offers."Sure, 'interesting' in recent months," Connors mutters. They hear something approaching."Out." Donald remarks, pulling his hood up and pointing towards the door, "Now."Connors rushes out, Olivia looking back, thinking about her brother, and feeling a desire to stay, but pushing it down. Donald follows, carefully shutting the door and pointing towards a window with a fire escape.Ben looks into the room with the broken window and finds nothing outside of a fair bit of blood.Turning, he looks down and finally takes in the carnage."Ben!" he looks up, seeing Wasp darting towards him….followed by a version of Link with a paraglider.He lands, transforming back into himself."What happened?" he asks."An assassin, she got away." Janet remarks, shaking her head, "What about you.""Bunch of…circus performers?" Ben snarks before turning serious, "I think they were after the kids. The Lizard and that little girl were there too. I don't know what happened or if they got away with any.""Are you alright?!" Fetch calls rushing towards them, followed by Ben's surprise by a scarred gargoyle."We're fine." Janet states, accepting the worried hug from the startled teenage, "Thanks for the help."Fetch smiles, and Link nods politely."This one of yours?" Ben asks, eying the gargoyle."No." Fetch states."Oh, that is Brooklyn," Janet states.The other two blink at her, and Ben sighs, leaning backward, "Sure, what a night.""So…what are we gonna do about all this." Fetch asks, looking at the devastated hospital, "All that money, it might have to….""I got it, kid," Ben mutters, looking over to the crowd of people, emerging to stare at them."Can everyone please get back within the building?!" he calls out, transforming into a large bronze-robotic entity with a wind-up key atop its head."I'm on ze clock, as it were." Ben jokes, eliciting a deep groan from Fetch.Clockwork raises his hands, and the key begins to turn backward, the carnage around them reversing, leaving the hospital and the surrounding buildings pristine."Good as new." Ben remarks, turning to look at Janet, "So…back to the dance? Talk to everyone, calm them down?"Wasp sighs, "I'll put in a call to shield. How do pizza and scary movies sound for the rest of the night.""No complaints here," Ben remarks, fighting to keep his composure as he remembers the look of shock and joy that crossed over the girl's face when she saw him.Bruce returns late that night, finding Janet and Fetch passed out on the couch, several pizza boxes displayed on the table, while a breaking news bulletin plays."Wayne Enterprises and the Fisk Towers promise to cover the costs of any necessary reparations following the attack on Linda Carter Memorial. Furthermore, SHIELD officials have announced the disappearance of several children during the event and have stated their attention will turn to hunting down those responsible for the kidnapping. Several have questioned the Avengers' appearance on the scene yet inability to apprehend the culprits. Rumors are circulating on social media about the identity of the now infamous "Donald."Bruce watched as a grainy cell phone caught what looked to be a rather tall homeless man catch and return a punch from the Juggernaut.'Bruce?" Janet asks, waking from sleep and blearily looking up at him, "You're back?""Yeah, false alarm as best as I could collate." he states, with a shy smile, "Seems like you had a rough day.""Yeah…" Janet agrees, getting up and stretching, laying a blanket across Fetch."Sorry, I wasn't there," he mutters, and she smiles up at him."We can't be everywhere at Bruce, I understand," she states, "But you definitely would have been useful."She stands up and walks over to him, crossing her arms as she looks toward Ben."Is he alright?" Bruce asks."Not sure." Janet offers honestly, "He saw someone before the attack. It shook him up.""Someone from his past?" Bruce asks."A little girl," Janet states."A sister?" Bruce asks, eyeing Ben with a tilt of his head, "Or…a daughter?""Bit young, isn't he." Janet jokes."Yeah…yeah," Bruce mutters, rubbing his chin, his eyes narrowing.Wasp smiles and absentmindedly moves some of his hair out of his eyes, "Don't think too hard about it, at least not tonight. It's late."Bruce looks up at her, her sleep-filled eyes looking at him in a way he didn't quite know what to do with."Right." he chuckles, "Was the dancing nice at least?""Oh god no, he's terrible." Wasp jokes, pointing a finger over her shoulder at Ben, "Strange, though, he was a nice dancer.""Stephen?" Bruce asks, his eyes narrowing despite himself."Yep." Jan states, "But such a talker."'Sounds like you didn't have the right partner." Bruce remarks."You're right." she agrees, looking him up and down with a soft smile, "Maybe next time.""Next time." he returns with a nervous chuckle."Good night, Bruce," she states, sliding away from him."Good night, Jan." he returns, staring after her and then turning back to see Ben staring at him with a smirk."What?" Bruce asks."Nothing, Doc." Ben states, "How as the Zoo?""Good it…well, I'll tell you in the morning, it was quite an interesting time.""Course, night, Banner." Ben returns."Good night, Ben," he states, walking off to his room.Ben turns back to the horizon, listening quietly until he hears the doors shut. He glances over at fetch, making sure she is deep asleep, and then transforms into Spidermonkey.Quietly climbing up the side of the building, he gets to the roof and pauses, staring out at the Dome.He needs to find out who that girl is, and if he remembers correctly, he knows a good place to start.He leaps off the tower and into the night, swinging towards what he hopes will be answers.
Location Unknown, Time Unknown, Date Unknown.
The boy stirred, looking around him feebly, a confused expression crossing his face. He wasn't in the hospital anymore. He was in a cell—a cold, metallic cell, with a snarling wall of energy as the only way out."Ah, you are finally awake." a cold voice states.The boy looks around and freezes as out of the shadow, a figure with white human hair, oversized red eyes, grey skin, and fanged teeth leans towards him. They look like a fusion of Frog and Human, like those Grey aliens he heard so much about.A scream cuts across him, causing his heart to leap into his throat."Oh, don't worry." Albedo remarks, "That is an entirely different experiment."He clicks a button, and the cell is flooded with Terrigen Gas infused with Nanobots.Albedo turns to Compress, who is leaning against the cell out of sight of the now cocooned child."Not a very good haul." Albedo states.He presses several buttons, and four doors shut and lock. He continues, walking out into a highly-advanced factory-like setting. All about them, drones and individuals in suits resembling Hazmat attire go about their business."You didn't pay us 'fight Avengers' money." Compress returns, "Nor did you tell us that 'Everyman' was one of them.""Everyman?" Albedo asks."It's what some folks call him. Everyman, Changeling, Xeno has been making the rounds." Compress explains with a bored expression."Hmph, well, I will make sure we are all sufficiently informed next time." Albedo states."She's gonna find out." Compress states, "Nagant.""Let me worry about that." Albedo remarks, "I'm sure the Advanced Idea Mechanics can develop something to curtail a willful assassin."Compress says nothing, allowing the prideful scientist to revel in his coup and self-confidence.What neither noticed was Nagant, amongst the catwalks, observing them with a deep, distant look.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Bruce yawns as he enters the kitchen, freezing as he spots a stranger sitting at the counter next to Fetch while Ben, in one of his alien forms, cooks away while humming to the music playing off a small speaker. Ben's head nearly scratches the ceiling; four arms move between many different pans."Uh…morning?" Bruce asks, eyeing the stranger cagily as he sidles over to the coffeepot."Morning," Ben states, looking over at him and catching his worried expression."Wh-oh, oh, right, Bruce, meet my friend Kevin," Ben states, nodding to the man dressed in slightly dust dark clothing, wearing a wool cap."Yo," Kevin states, waving with several of his fingers as he brings his cup of coffee to his lips."Kev, this is Bruce Banner," Ben states, gesturing with a grease-covered spatula, "He….""I know him," Kevin states, and Banner grimaces, preparing for the inevitable comments about his other half."You're the premier nuclear physicist and biochemist, right?" he continues.Bruce blinks, "Y-yes, I am.""Nice to meet you. Fan of some of your other work as well." Kevin states, "Dome has a lot of it."Bruce blinks in confusion and turns to Ben."Kevin's with the Morlocks," Ben states, flipping several pancakes, and it all clicked together for Bruce."Oh! Nice to finally meet you." Bruce says, offering a handshake.Kevin returns it, "Same. Nice place you've got here.""Stark likes to live…" Bruce begins, pausing and mulling his next words."Extravagantly," Friday interjects, eliciting a laugh from Fetch."Got some people that wouldn't mind digs like this," Kevin states thoughtfully, swirling his coffee."I'll talk to Tony," Ben states conversationally, though Bruce notes a certainty to it."So, what are you doing here?" Bruce asks."Ran into Tennyson last night, so we decided to talk some stuff out. Now here we are." Kevin states."You haven't slept," Bruce asks, turning to Ben."Nah, but I will," Ben states, not even flinching as a big bubble of grease spatters across one army."I thought we were taking Abby to Xavier's today?" Bruce asks, turning to look at her."We received an email from the Institute," Friday states, "Most of their teaching staff will be gone for at least another week, it seems. After a rather heated baseball game, the remainder is busy wrangling their current student body. The Professor decided it is best not to throw Abby into such a chaotic situation for her first day.""Oh, I'm sorry," Bruce states, nodding to Fetch. She looks up at him with a raised eyebrow."Yeah, it…it's a real shame." Abby jokes as Ben stakes four more pancakes onto the ever-growing tower at his side. Her stomach growls loudly, eliciting a chuckle from Bruce."Well, I'll take my leave then, let you two catch up." Bruce states."Hold it, Banner," Ben interjects, turning around and placing a heaping pile of bacon, cheese-covered scrambled eggs, a leaning tower of pancakes, and a pyramid of hashbrowns down on the counter in front of Kevin and Fetch."You said you had a story about the Zoo," he states, shoving a "taco" of egg, bacon, and pancake into his mouth, "So sit down and get talking, tofu bacon or grilled banana? Got smoothies chilling in the fridge, and there is toast warming in the other oven."He points, and Fetch smirks up at Bruce as she piles her plate high, "Let's hear it, Doc.""O-okay." Bruce states, carefully taking several pieces of toast and sitting across from her, "I'll take the banana if you don't mind.""On it," Ben says with a smile, his four arms moving in a flurry.Bruce takes a bite and begins thinking, "So where do you want me to start, meeting King or the talking Raptors?"Kevin blinks, "What kind of Zoo….""Right well…" Bruce begins.Bruce examines the maps of the various Isles that make up the Zoo. Several trackers blink a steady beat as the various beings that call the hidden paradise home go about their business.The Zoo had traded hands many times, but Bruce knew that despite all of SHIELD's claims, the Island's true ruler was King."It's a good thing he's asleep." Dr. Ilene Andrews states, smiling at him pleasantly as if she had been reading his thoughts. Her dark hair is pulled back in a loose ponytail, and her clothes are faintly stained with old hints of foliage and mud.She nods to the video of what, at first glance, was a hill, rising and falling slowly."True," Bruce notes, looking over at her with a nervous smile, eyes tracking down to the little girl, Jia, one of the native Iwi people. She smiles at him, clutching her homemade King doll to her side. She is dressed similarly to her adoptive mother."He's being lazy today." Jia signs, frowning, "Too bad.""Not sure if I agree about that being bad." Bruce signs back with a grin."So, what do you think? Dr. Ilene asks, "What's causing it."She gestures to a series of meters, one of which was rising at an accelerating rate. They examined latent radiation across the Islands, the one increasing being Gamma. Which was worrying at the best of times, let alone in a preserve of anomalous fauna.Bruce taps away at his laptop, equations flickering across the screen and appearing in the holoboard before them."While at first, I thought it might be an error in the systems, detecting the regular increase of Vita Radiation as Gamma, but after preliminary work, it seems Vita levels are steady.""It's been a while since we've had a new arrival." Dr. Andrews, typing on her console, imagery of the different Kaiju-Class entities that rested across the various Isles, "And most of them are sleeping.""Excluding the friends downstairs," Bruce notes, pointing to one of the trackers."They're never quiet." Dr. Andrews mutters, "But we've managed to keep them fed, thanks to Fury's reallocation."Bruce nods, "Further investigation has led me to believe that we can cross out the outlying isles, particularly Sorna, Nublar, and Devil's Nest.""That leaves the original islands." Dr. Andrews continues as the other isles fade to red."Correct, my scanners are telling me that whatever is causing the uptick is in this region," Bruce states, circling the northern section of the largest island, past the inland sea and the mountains on its upper edge."That's the heart of King's territory." Agent Grady notes, coming up the stairs, drying his hair with a towel with one hand and putting his vest on with another. Bruce notes that his hunting knife and rifle are already on his person."Not far from one of the older Iwi settlements." Dr. Andrews remarks."Are people still living there?" Bruce asks."There were a few, but whatever happens all those months ago causes quite a few problems here." Grady states, "Shy got out, so they relocated to the villages closer to King's main den or took to the coast and made for Sorna.""Shy?" Bruce asks with a raised eyebrow."One of the Skullcrawlers, small female, she's managed to stay off King's hitlist because of general cowardice." Grady remarks, "That said, she's a slippery little bi-gal."He catches himself as he notices Jia standing in the room for the first time."She's slipped her collar more than once, manages to avoid patrols when she does so, even manages to sneak past the cameras." Grady continues, "So, Shy?""But she was contained?" Bruce asks."King sent her packing. We sealed the breach the next day…but….""She could have opened up the weakened area if pressed, or something else could have." Bruce mutters, "Gamma is not an inherently unnatural form of radiation, and the Isles are an energy sink…in theory….""Are you telling me we have a Hulked Skullcrawler on our hands?" Grady demands."I would certainly hope not." Bruce states, "We don't actually know what we could be facing.""But we are going to go check it out." Grady states."We should." Bruce agrees, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes."Should I inform the rest of the Zoo?" Dr. Andrews asks."Tell them to be on alert." Bruce states, "And keep an eye on my charts. If there is another uptick, we'll need to know."Grady tosses him a radio, "Right, I'm gonna get the girls ready.""Girls?" Bruce asks as he disappears, looking at Dr. Andrews and Jia."You'll love them." Jia signs with a grin, looking up to her mom, "Can I go?""Absolutely not." Dr. Andrews says sternly.Jia pouts and stomps off.Dr. Andrews watches her go and turns to Bruce."Make sure you and Grady triple-check every bit of the jeep before you leave." she advises conspiratorially, "She likes to be a little sneak.""U-understood," Bruce states, raising his eyebrows.It turns out the "girls" were four oversized raptors that turned to him as he entered the garage, the smallest, green with black stripes darting at him experimentally.Bruce backs up, feeling the beginning prickles of the Other Guy coming out, only for the raptor's tail to be snagged by another, the largest with teal-colored scales."Charlie, cut that shit out!" Grady barks, standing up from inside the Jeep, "Sorry, Doctor Banner, she likes to be….""Bad." one of the others states, blue scales lining bother sides of its body, and Bruce blinks in surprise."Right, Blue." Grady remarks with a smirk."They can talk?" Bruce asks, surprised."You won't get Shakespeare out of them, but yeah. Same clutch." Grady remarks, "Like quite a few of the Sorna transplants, SHIELD nabbed them off this guy that was obsessed with Dinosaurs. Karl Ly-something. Apparently, he wanted to take things a step above."Bruce sighs, "That is all too common.""Right, well, Dr. Banner, meet my girls." Grady states, "Sound off.""Blue." the one that first spoke states, snapping at the smallest as she takes another attempt to reach him."Delta." the largest states, dropping her sister's tail."Echo." the one hanging the furthest back states, her orangish tan scales covered in a number of scratch marks."Charlie!" she cries, getting up off the ground and shaking herself."Right, girls, you better be on your best behavior." Grady states, "We're heading into King's playground."Blue, in particular, bristling at the news, several squawks and hisses follow.Bruce moves past them, entering into the jeep and looking over at Grady."Ready, Doc?" Grady asks.He nods."Right. Let's move!" he calls. The raptors snap to attention lunging through the main gate as the jeep picks up speed behind them.The ride is uneventful, outside of the jostling and occasional sitting of the various Meta-Fauna that call the Zoo home, for which Bruce is thankful.The raptors keep pace with the jeep, snarling and crying, occasionally pausing to sniff at something or sight another creature moving through the foliage before catching up."So…what happens if it is Shy?" Bruce asks as they hit what must have been the fiftieth pothole."If it's Shy…I use this." Grady states, patting what Bruce just notices to be a rocket launcher sitting in the back seat, "And send the girls running.""A rocket launcher?" Bruce demands, sweat gathering on the back of his neck."More like a firework launcher." Grady amends, "Lot of smoke, fire, and flash, with a big enough bang to disorient her.""Than what?" Bruce asks."Well…then the girls and I hightail it and hope King heard the boom." Grady remarks, "He's not a big fan of loud noises.""And if he doesn't?" Bruce queries."Well….normally, I'd probably be up the creek without a paddle." Grady jokes, "But I got you today.""Great," Bruce mutters sarcastically."Stop!" Blue calls, her voice echoing from ahead of them.Grady pulls the jeep to a small stop, revealing a small clearing of muddy ground and a few patches of reasonably deep water.In the center, a sizable hole sat, surrounded by deep claw marks.In fact, the entire area was covered in claw and drag marks as if something had gotten into a pretty sizable fight."What's this?" Bruce asks, getting out as the raptors leaned down and began sniffing about like bloodhounds."It used to be a pond," Grady mutters, stepping out of the jeep with the launcher already shouldered."So…" Bruce remarks, his head now on a swivel, preparing at any minute to let the Other Guy take the reigns."So Shy or one of the others got out." Grady sighs, "I told them that was a shoddy patch job. Gonna need to make sure we put down a titanium cork next time."Blue trills, drawing their attention as she and Echo pull something from the much.The fleshless remnants of a mangled human arm."Drop it." Grady orders, Blue obeys, pulling it away from Echo and setting it down, "Fan out."The raptors do so, noses to the ground hunting other signs."Were there personel out here?' Bruce asks, examining the bones, "Natives?""There shouldn't have been," Grady remarks, eyes tracing the treeline.Bruce moves deeper into the muck, noting other bits of bone and fabric, but something else catches his eye.Leaning down, he picks up the spent casing of a fairly high-grade explosive charge."I don't think this was one of the downstairs neighbors," he calls, holding up the casing.Grady grimaces and goes to his comms, "Regi, we have a breach, man-made explosive found next to the entrance of a reopened Crawler intrusion sight. All security personnel should be on high alert."Bruce catches the scattered acknowledgments and looks around, hunting for any other signs, spotting Charlie avidly digging and tearing at something in the mud.He cautiously approaches her, Blue falling in and butting the smaller raptor back, the pair hissing at each other briefly, before the former sniffs what appears to be a heavy green tarp and flinches away with a growl.With a bit of effort, Bruce approaches and tugs the tarp clear and frowns at the sight before him.Several centipede-shaped, metallic objects were pressed into the mud, the glass casing set within cracked and leaking a viscous orange language into the mud."Grady, call them back," Bruce demands, as he has to stop himself from pushing Charlie's head away as she goes to snap at the liquid, Blue doing the intervention for him.Grady lets out a high-pitched whistle, drawing the raptors to him, and points to the jeep, where the quartet dart over and hunker down. He goes to walk forward, but Banner puts up a hand, "Don't come any closer.""What have you got?" Grady calls."Centipede apparatuses." Bruce returns, "At least three dozen of them, all cracked, they're leaking their contents into the soil, which explains the increase in Gamma. Luckily, this area is pretty devastated, and you need to apply one of these apparatuses to actually gain the effects of the cocktail within. Regardless, you should put up a perimeter and monitor for any signs of apparent grow-""Doc!" Grady roars, followed by the thunk of his launcher firing.Bruce looks up, spotting the wide-open, tooth-filled maw of a melanistic Skull Crawler launching out of the forest directly at him.There is a flash of fire and smoke, the creature roaring in pain, but that does little to stop its momentum.The Hulk, however, does, catching its jaws in both hands and holding it."Bigger than you have tried to eat me, runt." Hulk snarls, slamming her into the mud with a grunt and planting his foot on the back of her skull, "Down, girl!"The creature snarls, its tail whipping around and cracking the Hulk in the jaw, sending him reeling. Shy then clamps down on his calf and drags him off the ground, though her teeth can't manage to penetrate his skin.Snarling, he slams a punch into the side of her head and then another, viscous blows that send the creature's eyes rolling, but she refuses to release him, chewing on him like a starving rat."Let go!" he roars as she frantically shakes him.Another rocket fires, and she turns, spotting Grady and the snarling raptors. Tossing the Hulk aside, she charges for them.Delta almost charges her, snarling, but Grady holds her back and shouts, holding up a hand."Shy! DOWN!" his voice seems to warble oddly, and for a brief second Shy slows her charge.Hulk surges up and, with a small leap, lands directly behind her, grabbing onto her tail and pulling as her tongue lashes out, missing Delta by inches as he wrenches her away."We're not done," Hulk remarks, bashing her into a tree and stepping back.She screeches at him, charging, attempting to get around her, but he socks her right in the side of the head.She tries to dart to the other side, and he kicks her, pushing her back toward the hole even further.With a snarl, she lunges, coming down on him like a striking cobra, claws flared, catching one blow on his left arm, ignoring the deep cuts she carves into him; he grits his teeth and uppercuts her.She falls backward on her tail, rolling from the impact, and comes up dazed, shaking her head and panting frantically."Tired?" Hulk taunts.Drawing low to the ground, she turns her head to the hole, back to him, and past him to Grady. Her reptilian eyes narrow, and she springs into the air, attempting to clear him entirely, claws and maw opening greedily to snatch up the others.Hulk heaves his hands back and claps them together, the shock wave catching her in the stomach and carrying her higher into the air. The thunderous clap shakes the entire clearing, and she hits the ground, spraying mud everywhere.She rolls over, roaring at the Hulk, and he returns it with a deep bellow of his own, stepping towards her only for an even deeper, monstrous shout to overpower them both.Hulk turns as a shadow covers the clearing, and standing there, grimacing down at both of them blearily, is the towering form of King, one eye rubbing the sleep from his eyes while the other reaches down to wrench a tree out of the ground.Hulk looks over and smirks as he watches Shy immediately dart for the whole and vanish, frantically slipping away from the sleep-glazed but furious eyes of King Kong.The great ape turns to look at him, snorting aggressively as Hulk meets his eyes.A deep growl resonates in King's vast chest.Hulk grins."You fought him?!" Fetch cries, sitting up from her stool and nearly knocking it over."No, no!" Bruce exclaims."But the Big Guy definitely wanted to," Ben interjects, returned to human form, pointing a forkful of syrup-laden waffle at him."Y-yes," Bruce states, looking a little shamefaced."So what did happen?" Fetch asks, feeding a bit of bacon to her summoned companions, a rather tubby Pikachu."I regained control, and King just sat down and stared at the hole as if daring Shy to come back. Ignored us the entire time as we waited for a containment team to arrive. Charlie, in her way, spent most of that hour asking me my favorite foods." Bruce states, rubbing the back of his head."Was she disappointed?" Kevin asks, nodding to the sizable plate of vegan-friendly options Ben had offered him."Very." Bruce jokes."What about the Centipedes?" Ben asks."Centipedes? You found them at the Zoo?" Daisy asks, walking into the room, still in her tactical gear, stretching."Unfortunately," Bruce states, "Why?""Well, are we sure we can talk about this in front of the kid?" Daisy asks, pointing at Fetch, who grimaces at her over her plate of pancakes."She's an honorary member of the team." Ben states with a laugh, "Also, he's here."He points at Kevin, who looks over at her pointedly, "You can cut out as much or as little about whatever you have to say. I know how you government folks work."Daisy blinks as if she hadn't actually noticed him, "Damn, I need caffeine.'"Already on it." Friday states."Best thing Stark ever created," Daisy jokes."Thank you," Friday remarks proudly. Seconds later, Daisy is sipping a steaming cup of coffee and is leaning against the end of the counter across from Ben." I was just joking, Fetch, but I will have to truncate some stuff." Daisy remarks, nodding to Kevin, "Cause of him.""Long as you know: fair's fair." Kevin states, "Haven't got to tell my epic story yet.""Uh, Huh," Daisy mutters."So, did something come up for Centipedes with you as well?" Bruce asks."Yep." Daisy states, "Some new players on the field are using them. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but hey, at least you can hear it over some good food.""You're welcome," Ben states with a grin."Thank you." Daisy returns, "Well, to start off, I guess…."Daisy ducks behind a desk as several masked gunmen open fire. Sliding around, she fires over several blasts knocking them ass over kettle and sidling up to Ward, who was busy reloading his pistol."Miss me?" Daisy asks, sticking her tongue out slightly.Ward smirks, "Sure, cause I always needed a hot shot Avenger to get my work done.""Ouch," Daisy remarks. Ward says nothing but fires a shot, catching one of the gunmen through the neck.Several others round the corner, only to be blasted through the wall behind them by a swift strike from Daisy."You're lucky this Avenger, I think." Daisy quips."Am I?" Ward quips back, tossing a shock grenade behind her, saving her back."No." May remarks over the comms as the entire floor above them disintegrate on top of the remaining enemies, burying them, leaving her standing in the aftermath, "You're both lucky to have me, now cut the chatter. The target should be directly ahead."Daisy and Ward share a smile and follow after her. The corridor walls are covered in intricate markings, though they all appear to be shaped by the number five, five lines, five points, five repeating lines, and a five-armed starfish."What is all this?" Daisy asks, looking around."I'm not finding any modern or historic connotation for the symbols in our databases," Simmons states, coming in over her comms."Something new then." Ward mutters, "Perfect, just add it to the list."May says nothing, narrowing her eyes as the sound of raised voices catches their ears. Putting a finger to her lips, May slowly pulls the door open and then ushers the others to enter the roof before her. It was a small office, lit by nothing more than the flickering blue screen of an old television."You promised us more." the one person commented, with their back to the door. Daisy could make out their clothing, but their head had been shaved bald, but not in a proper sense, with several scars and fresh nicks marking the back of their head."We did." the other states, a woman, obscured in the room's darkness, "And you promised safe entry into Three Portlands.""The failures of your men to obey the laws within the city is not our fault." the man stated, "The bargain was met. The Fifthests held up our side of the bargain. Now you must do the same.""You also promised to keep your heads down." the woman rebuts, "And yet here SHIELD is on your very doorstep.""You underestimate us if you think SHIELD worries us." the man states.Daisy shoots May and Ward a confused look."But we know they worry you." the man chuckles, "After all, how many heads have been cut off unexpectedly? How few of your grasping tentacles have any reach?""Are position is strong." the woman refutes."You are drug peddlers, beholden to sniveling scientists ignorant to the truth. You come to us to get into Three Portlands, which proves whatever occult strength you once had has vanished. Your leaders have vanished into the wind. We were to help you better aid your little infiltrators. But first, we require Centipede. So run along and tell that feeble old ma-"The figure pauses, turning slightly, "Was this your ploy? You should have known better than think this trick would wor-"He reaches for something within his long coat, and Ward fires, silencing his sentence as the bullet carves into his brain.May darts forward, charging the woman, but she vanishes, teleporting out in a flair of blue light."Damn," May swears, looking around and then kneeling next to the body.Ward stalks forward, Daisy a step behind, "What have we got.""Not sure…" May begins, riffling through the guy's pockets, and pulling out a journal marked by a curving five-fingered triangle, "But they've got literature.""Have either of you heard of Three Portlands before?" Daisy asks."Never." Ward states, looking around, picking up several sheets, "But whomever these Fifthist guys are, I'm getting heavy cult vibes.""They mentioned cutting off heads. Does that mean Centipede is actually HYDRA?" she continues."I wouldn't be surprised." May states, "They try to get their feelers everywhere they are able.""Including SHIELD?" Daisy asks."Fury would know." Ward states."Hopefully." May mutters, "Come on, we need to report this to Coleson and bag whomever else is left in this building. Daisy, see if you can't find a computer to crack, learn anything more.""On it.""So, did you find anything?" Ben asks, adding another helping of hashbrowns to her plate."Nope." Daisy grunts, "Whomever they are, the minute the John Doe went down, a worm ripped through all of their documentation. Have any of you heard anything about any of that?"Ben blinks at her, and she waves him off."Not you!" she amends, tossing a piece of sausage at him."Don't waste my food," he states, mock aghast.Kevin just shrugs, "Could ask my people. The Morlocks have a lot of friends in…weird places."Daisy nods appreciatively and switches her gaze to Banner, "What about you, Bruce?""Can't say I have ever heard of either." Bruce states, "I was on the run for a long time, found a lot of odd crowds, quite a few cults amongst them, but nothing called the Fifthists.""I could run a trace for those terms if you would like, Daisy?" Friday offers, "Both above and below the board.""Was gonna do that myself after this, but if you want to get started, I'd appreciate it." Daisy mutters with a yawn, "Might actually be able to get some sleep.""Cult aside, what I find worrying is the Centipedes and the claim that HYDRA might have folk on the inside after what I found." Banner mutters, the others around the table nodding pensively. Ben goes to ask a question but is spoken over by a new arrival."Centipedes?" Hank asks, walking into the room with his helmet under his arms and deep bags under his eyes."Hey, Doc," Ben states, gesturing to the proverbial buffet before them, "Had breakfast?""Oh, no, thank you." Hank states, setting his helmet down and grabbing a plate, "Friday, can you….""Coffee order is already in the works Doc, but I still think that is far too much caffeine." Friday remarks, "And I work for Stark."Hank waves her off and stands beside the coffee machine expectantly, looking at Bruce, "You mentioned Centipedes?""The source of the rise in Gamma radiation at the Zoo," Bruce explains."Troubling. Did you find the culprits?" Hank asks."No, they were all…eaten," Bruce states, eliciting a slight gag from Fetch and a dark chuckle from Kevin at the wide-eyed expression on Hank's face."Oh! Well, are there ideas?" Hank asks."It might have been an inside job." Bruce states.Ben grimaces and gestures to Daisy, "SHIELD might be compromised.""My raid with Coleson's team discovered a batch of Centipedes with ties to some cult called the Fifthists and a place called Three Portlands. Ever heard of those?" Daisy remarks."The latter rings a bell, but I could not tell you why," Hank states, snatching up several waffles and slathering them in peanut butter."On top of that, a HYDRA agent slipped the net, and there is reason to suspect they've infiltrated SHIELD but no solid evidence of the truth of those statements." Daisy finishes."Every possibility should be considered at least once." Hank states, scooping up his heinously over-caffeinated cup of coffee and sitting down next to Fetch, shoving sever strips of bacon into his mouth absentmindedly, "It is almost funny, though.""The reappearance of Centipedes, the worries of infiltrators, it eerily mimics what I found at Star Labs." Hank states."Do tell." Ben states, standing up and drawing the smoothie container from the fridge, "But first, tried and true strawberry-banana.""Thank god you guys found him on a good day." Kevin remarks, offering up his empty glass, "he likes to get inventive.""What kind of inventive?" Fetch asks."There was the time with the onion-" Kevin begins, smirking as Fetch gags."Hank, speak." Ben interrupts, sending Kevin a glare."Of course, so…."Hank steps back from examining the damaged portion of the console, drawing several tools from his pouch and carefully patching the micro-crack before snapping back to his proper size."There, that should have you running at optimal performance." Hank states, helmet snapping open, "At least regarding the hardware. I admit, my skills pale in comparison to Stark or Agent Johnson.""What did I tell you?" Cisco remarks with a snarky grin as he swivels his chair to look at Caitlyn.She frowns at him and looks up to Hank, "We're still glad for your help.""Of course," Hank says with a grin."Would have loved to have this thing unbricked," Cisco mutters, frantically typing at the keys and then snarling in frustration as the system again refuses to open for him."Again, that is more Agent Johnson's expertise, but I could give it a shot," Hank states, leaning in."I'd rather she be here," Cisco mutters."That's just because you think she's attractive," Caitlyn notes.Hank pretends not to notice Cisco's gesture at her and then point at him, nor the slight blush that crosses Caitlyn's face as she slaps the former."I promise you aren't driving our visiting colleague to distraction, are we?" Well asks as he rolls around the corner, holding a cup of coffee."Far from it. I deal with Stark and Janet almost every day of my life." Hank states, staring at the screen intently, "Mr. Ramon isn't as funny."Cisco slightly slumps into his chair."A joke, Cisco." Hank reassures, turning to Wells, "In truth, I quite enjoy the company of your staff. Bright minds, eager hearts. I would have loved to see the work you were doing here before the incident.""So would we all," Wells remarks.Hank turns back to the screen and notices a brief wavering of the screen as he types in the next attempted sequence.Snapping his helmet on, he begins to flip through frequencies and watches as the screen wavers again."Something is interfering with your data transference," Hank mutters."What?" Caitlyn asks."Cisco has been entering the correct information but is not reaching the proper servers." Hank states, "Something is interfering. Possibly a fault in the system caused by the false signal emanating from the accelerator.""But if that was the cause, it should be fixed," Cisco notes."True." Hank agrees, looking around, "Unless that was not the only emitter."He turns, catching the faintest hint of a signal, and exits the main hall."Doctor?" Caitlyn asks."Just a moment." he returns, heading toward the signal.He hears Cisco whisper-yell something but is too keen on following the signal to give it much thought.The signal grows stronger and stronger until he reaches a plain wall."Definite signal bleeds." he mutters, "But from what…."Shrinking down, he examines the base of the wall and finds the smallest nick through which he can enter.As he passes through the door on the other side, he finds a large sterile room. A tall blackened tube rests in one corner, alongside some fairly advanced-looking chemical tech. A hologram project sits dormant in one corner of the room, and in the very back, next to a cot, a strange circular sphere of glass, partially hidden by a large tarp, rests."Curious," he mutters, deciding to stay minuscule, spotting several cameras blinking in the corners of the ceiling.Leaping onto the main table, he finds a disassembled Centipede apparatus.All the liquid had been drained out of it and appeared to have been distilled to Hank's eye, the component parts resting in several capped beakers."Whose are you?" he mutters, looking about, eyeing the hologram terminal with interest, and then turning to look at the sphere in the back.He leaps off the table, making his way towards the sphere, when he hears a voice speak up from the hologram pedestal."Movement has been detected. Minimal life signs detected." a soft feminine voice states, as a hologram of a bald human woman appears, "Intrusion into sanctum likely in progress. Activating countermeasures."Hank freezes as he hears a small explosion, an alarm start blaring, and the sound of Caitlyn's scream.Charging across the floor, he notices the hologram tracking him and hears something begin to move within the room before he dives into the crack.Skidding out the other side, he surges to full size and then adds just a bit more as he watches a desk fly into the hallway and shatter against the wall.Sliding to a stop, he takes Cisco, covering Wells with his body behind the main computer desk, while Caitlyn has been backed into the corner by a giant, oddly scorpian-like robot.Its tail lances down, and Hank tosses a disk, the metallic stringer shrinking and sheering off, the rest of the tail halting several inches before Caitlyn's face as she shrinks down, letting out a gasp of relief.She looks at him, the robot doing the same, and he smiles at her apologetically."Sorry about this," he states, tossing an orb right as he shrinks, racing down the length of the robots lashing claws.Pushing off, he unbalances the robot as two more disks fly, sheering off two of its legs. He then grows to full size, catching the ball, and dodges back, gently placing it on the ground, Caitlyn popping back into existence from her brief moment of shrunken ensnarement."You might experience a bit of nausea," he warns, "They are still in the testing phase.""You saved my life." Caitlyn breaths, looking up at him with an appreciative smile.He nods, looking away momentarily, as the robot struggles to right itself and go after him, a singular blue eye burrowing into him."Job's not quite done yet," he notes.As if on cue, there was a flash of lightning and a rush of air, and several seconds later, the robot was resting on the ground in a dozen pieces while the Flash stood next to it, tossing the inert power core like a baseball.The Flash turns and freezes as he sees Hank stand up first, and his features begin to blur."Ant-Man, what are you doing here?" he asks."Dr. Snow asked me to be here." Hank states, "To help investigate some remaining problems from the Accelerator Explosion. What are you doing here?'"I hit the panic button." Cisco states, "The siren is meant to warn of another incident.""Got here as quick as I could." the Flash states."Very good." Hank states, "Thank you for your help.""Of course." the Flash states.The sound of police sirens catches their ears."Thank you for both of your help." As Cisco helps him back into his chair, Wells states, "But this is probably the fourth time I have spoken to the police. I do not like that this is becoming a habit."He turns and leaves the room, Hank watching him, noticing the odd clench of his jaws as if there was more anger beneath his words than he wanted to convey."Hope the rest of your day is less chaotic." the Flash states, vanishing in a blur.Hank looks down, helping Caitlyn to her feet, "As do I.""Triple-signed." she says with a smile, "Thank you, again.""Don't mention it. Truly." Hank states."Fine, but I still owe you from the last time you came here." Caitlyn states, "So how about lunch on me?"Hank blinks, finding himself amidst another of life's complicated games of personal interaction."Sure. That sounds great." Hank states, "I just need to change. I had hoped to get a chance to pick your brain about your research.""G-Great," she states with a beaming smile.He walks off, spotting Wells sitting at the end of the hall with his back."Harrison, is there a place I can get changed?" he asks.Yet, Wells doesn't acknowledge him."Harrison?" Hank asks, walking a bit closer to him, "Doctor?"At the last appellation, Wells looks over at him."Sorry, Hank, lost in thought, what did you need?" Wells asks."A place to change," Hank states, gesturing to his costume."Right, third door on your left." Wells states pointing down the hall and then rolling past him towards the main entrance.Hank watches him go."It was the second time I found a Centipede on the premises, but if it was the same one or another, I don't know," Hank states, taking a bite out of a folded waffle."And you didn't say anything to them?" Daisy asks."No, as I don't know who might be behind all of it." Hank returns."But they were taking it apart like they wanted the component pieces for something different?" Ben asks."Seemingly." Hank agrees."What about that Wells guy?" Kevin asks, "Way you put it. He seems kinda sketchy. I'm not gonna lie.""He's an old colleague of mine." Hank states, "I don't believe he would get into anything so criminal even in the name of science. It could be that a former employee is managing to sneak onto the premises. Though I admit, Wells has…changed since the last time I saw him.""Cisco and Dr. Snow are off the table?" Ben asks, "She is a biochemist.""Cisco is a talented engineer, but I do not believe he has a sinister bone in his body." Hank states, "As for Dr. Snow…her accomplishment in the field could lend credence, but….""She's sweet on you." Fetch interjects with a giggle eliciting a few chuckles from the others."But she is an altruistic soul to her core." Hank states, looking at Fetch with narrowed eyes, "Her SHIELD dossier is quite thorough.""You're reading up on her?" Ben asks."I read up on all of my colleagues, including all of you." Hank states, coughing awkwardly, "It helps create talking points.""More importantly, that is the third case of Centipede involvement, or possibly the first we've found in the recent weeks," Hank states, dragging the conversation back on track."Someone's getting ready for something. The question is what?" Bruce mutters."Let me guess, some fresh problem has reared its head," Janet asks, entering the kitchen in just a long yellow t-shirt."Yep." Ben, Daisy, and Fetch chorus."Coffee first," Janet states, blinking her eyes and spotting how haggard Hank looks."You look like you had a rough night," Janet remarks with an impish smile."There are children present," Hank remarks."I'm thirteen." Fetch rebukes."Regardless, I resent the insinuation. This is me learning that the quinjet does not have comfortable seating for catching some sleep.""Pity," Janet remarks."He took her on a lunch date." Fetch reports."Seven in the morning, and you're all out here spilling tea without me." Janet exclaims, faking an aghast expression, "Do tell."She looks around the room, clocking Kevin and how tired everyone but Fetch looks."Did none of you get any sleep?" Janet asks, leaning against Bruce's chair and pointing at his plate with a grin."I got a little," he states, smiling up at her as he offers his plate. She pops a fried banana in his mouth and playfully pats him on the cheek."Thank you." Janet remarks, "And the thanks for breakfast goes to…."The others point to Ben."You're welcome." he remarks, "And unlike the others, I did manage to get some sleep after meeting up with Kevin.""Oh really?: Janet asks, eying him.Ben nods.Ben crashes to the ground, pummeling Watch Dogs, left and right, his forearms swinging like bludgeons, bullets cracking against Four-Arms' thick hide as they attempt to fire upon him."You messed with the wrong people!" Four Arms shouts as he punts one of them into the front of a car and out the back window.Eventually, they scatter, Kevin emerges from the building, and several other Morlocks appear with cheers."Long time, no see Tennyson." Kevin states, clasping his hand."I know. We gotta talk." Ben states."Still no Tony?" Janet asks."Nope." Ben states, "You're the last one up. Did you hear anything from his room?""Nada, he'll be back." Janet remarks, sitting down next to Banner and finally making herself a plate, "He's probably relaxing on a beach in Cancun for all we know."Tony sighs as he sits in the metal chair, staring at the figure across from him."Set the timer." Tony states."You're sure?" Blue asks her holographic form projecting from the armor.Tony taps his robotic arm against his knee as he looks at the sizable piece of ice bolted to the wall before him."Things are changing a bit too swiftly. AIM is on the rise in a big way, no clue why but we need to put a bud in it. We lost the hammer, and that is deeply upsetting on many levels. Tennyson is up to something. According to the cameras at the tower, more kids have gone missing, and there is CCTV footage of Thor walking around in a t-shirt and jeans. We need to pull a counter-move until things spiral so far from our control we can't predict the outcome anymore." Tony rambles."A yes would have been fine." Blue snarks, "Starting the count down."Tony sits forward, "Hey…you can't hear me right now. Probably a good thing. The world's gone mad, but you were gonna think that anyway. Listen, HYDRA is back, but you'll find that out pretty quickly…."He trails off as an explosion shakes the compound."Since they're on their way." Tony states, "They're here from something else, too bad for them they're gonna get you.The sound of ice melting can be heard as he sits back."I have been wondering when would be a good time for so long, and I think…I think now is the time. You're gonna be mad at me, and I understand, I do. This was a massive overstep, but hell…think, think of it as a bit of payback for everything you kept from me, eh? Though, this is a different timeline, so you might actually come clean, and I'll be the asshole, which is fine. I'm used to playing it, long as we don't have to live that fight again." he continues."As I said, things are gonna be pretty crazy when you wake up, but don't worry, I and the others will be back to get you shortly," Tony states, standing up and stepping into his armor."See you soon, Cap," Tony states, turning and vanishing into shadow as the ice cracks, revealing a brilliant white star.