It was hot as usual. The heat was the common thing in Egypt. Marcus walked down the streets of the city of Cairo. He preferred staying in the desert but there was always good food in the city. He tried to ignore the smell of all the gas coming from all the cars. The smoke was part of the reason he preferred the desert, out there the air is clean and the only noise that could be heard was the wind blowing.
He made it to a corner store and walked down the snack aisle. He got Pringles, Lays, and Cheetos. He walked up to the counter and grabbed a few pounds from his pocket and paid for the snacks.
"Shukraan." He says politely before he walked away.
Soon after avoiding the hectic traffic he was back home to the desert. He climbed up the sand dunes as he sat atop a hill and he held out a Pringle. Suddenly a falcon swooped down and took it from his hand. He watched as the falcon landed on the sand and ate the pringle. The falcon or more specifically the Peregrine Falcon was his companion he named, Horus. He smiled as the falcon looked at him expectingly. He took another pringle and threw it at the bird and it ate it.
Horus is a Peregrine Falcon, the fastest animal on earth. Marcus rescued him from smugglers who would have sold him along with others animals. He dealt with the armed smugglers easily and freed the animals, the rest quickly fleed but Horus stayed with him. Despite his attempts to shew the falcon away, he stayed and soon they become close, almost like partners.
After he and Horus finished the last of the chips he stood up to take in the view of the city and the pyramids in the sunset. He closed his eyes before he took in a deep breath. He opened his eyes before he began to move on. Horus flew over him as he walked south. His hand turned to sand before the rest of his body followed suit and cloud of sand blew around in the wind.
"We lost him in the desert, sir." Agent Maria Hill of S.H.I.E.L.D informed Director Fury.
Hill and Fury were in the S.H.I.E.L.D Headquarters in London. There have been reports of non-stop hurricane like sandstorms in southern Egypt. Mars fits the profile perfectly but from Nick's experience, he felt that there was more to this.
The director stayed calm despite his displeasure "Third time this month, I want eyes everywhere and run facial recognition within a three hundred mile radius around the Nile." He ordered, "And get Barton, Romanov, and Rogers here." She nodded before walking around.
Marcus has been snaking his way south for a month after staying in one spot for a nearly twenty years. Nick knew there was something to this that he has yet to figure out but he will soon, he always does.
Two Days Later
A woman in a white dress walked alone in the desert. Her sun-kissed skin blended beautifully with the sand. Marcus was frozen where he stood as she approached him. He wondered what was a woman doing in the middle of the desert. She came face to face with him and held out her hand as if she wanted him to follow her. He raised his hand up but was stopped by a loud sound.
Marcus shot up from the ground to see Horus circling in the sky. He sighed before he tilted his head and cracked his neck. He stood up from the sand and continued to walk. He's been having these dreams for the past month and still hasn't figured out what they mean but he kept of feeling a pull towards the south. He feels chills down his spine and his teeth feel like they're vibrating as he gets closer.
He walked on as Horus continued 'kak, kak, kak'. He was sending a warning. He looked up at the bird before he looked around for any possible danger but saw no one. He kneeled down and closed his eyes as he felt the sand.
Steve, Natasha, and Clint were ducked over a dune as they trailed behind the young man. The moment he began to look around he ducked. "That was a close one." Clint mumbled.
Steve peeked over the dune and saw Marcus kneeling on the floor. The younger man's back was to him so he couldn't see what exactly he was doing. "What's he waiting for?" Steve mumbled as he watched.
"Possible ability?" Natasha suggested.
"I'm gonna take the shot." Clint says raising his bow but Steve caught his arm.
"Fury said 'take him alive'." He reminded sternly.
"It won't kill him. Just put him to sleep for a while." He shrugged but Steve gave him a pointed glare. "Fine whatever." He groaned.
"Rumlow's team is moving to cut him off, we need to trail him for a little longer and-"
"Cap," Natasha cut off by pulling both men down "He's staring at us." She says.
"Did he hear us?" Clint asked.
"We're 250 meters away, it's impossible." Steve replied.
"The kid can manipulate dirt and create sandstorms, I'm pretty sure impossible is out." Clint countered before he kneeled up to look over the dune. "He's running, I'm taking the shot." He said before taking aim.
"Wait-" Steve tried but Clint already fired.
The three watched as the arrow flew towards the young man. A column of sand burst up, stopping the arrow from hitting its mark. The three Avengers looked alarmed as the sand fell down only to see the man's grey eyes glaring at them.
"That was a bad idea." Clint mumbled receiving glares from the other two. "Ok, it was a laps of judgment." He tried to defend.
They all looked back to see him lift his arm and suddenly they were buried up to their necks in sand. They were turned around to see him make a pulling motion before they were dragged through the sand towards him.
"I can't get out." Clint struggled.
"What's the plan here, Cap?" Natasha asked.
"Right now we just have to calm him down." Steve replied.
They all looked up as they stopped to see him glaring down at them. Steve took the initiative and spoke, "I know you probably don't understand us-"
"What do you want with me?" He asked silencing the captain.
"You speak English?" Clint asked dumbfounded as he tried to get out of the sand.
He rolled his eyes at the question "Your language is...simple. Now answer my question." He demanded with a glare.
"I feel offended." Clint mumbled.
"We're here to bring you in for questioning." Natasha replied.
"By the way, he shot that arrow I'd say you're here for a lot more than questioning." He says glaring at Clint.
"I only aimed for your leg." He defended only to be dragged down to his chin.
"Stay quiet." He ordered. "Who are you?" He asked looking at Steve.
"My name is Captain Steve Rogers and they're Agent Clint Barton and Agent Natasha Romanov." Steve answered formally.
"And why are you after me, captain?" He asked kneeling to meet Steve's eyes.
"There have been a massive amount of sandstorms in southern Egypt and Director Nick Fury thinks you might have something to do with it or at least know something about it." He explained starring into the grey eyes.
Steve and Marcus locked eyes for a moment before the younger stood up and rolled his eyes. "I'm going to regret this." He mumbled before he waved his hand and the three were rose up from the sand. "I'm Marcus by the way, Marcus Mars." He says before he continued to walk.
"We know." Natasha replied as she wiped sand off of her.
"So you'll come with us?" Clint asked as they followed him.
"No." He replied as he walked. "You say that these storms are south right?" He asked glancing at Steve who nodded. "I'm the only one who can stop them I'm guessing." He assumed.
"As far as we know." Steve replied.
"Well then call off your guys and let's get going, more than three people would slow me down." He adds.
Steve turned to Natasha "Call Rumlow and tell him to inform Fury that we're heading south with, Mars." Steve whispered to Natasha who nodded.
"Lucky for you guys I was already heading South." Marcus informed.
"Why were you heading south, to begin with?"
Marcus gave Clint a short look before looking forward. "Not entirely sure. I just get these dreams, sometimes I'm in a valley and other times there's this woman motioning me to follow her." He explained, "And if what you say about these storms is true then we might be going in the same direction." He suggested with a shrug.
The three shared looks before they continued to follow the young man. Marcus could already tell that they think he's crazy but he didn't care. Once people see what he can do they automatically assume he's crazy so he's used to being antagonized.
"This woman, what does she look like?" Natasha asked.
Marcus spared her a look before replying. "She had tan skin, black hair like an Egyptian queen. She was barefoot and she didn't seem bothered by the heat like me."
"You know her?" Steve asked.
"Never met her." He replied shortly.
"That doesn't make sense if you haven't met her then how can you dream of her?" Clint asked confused.
"That's what I'm going to find out." He answered determinedly.