Chapter Four: The Quantum Realm

NEW YORK CITY. A HIGH-RISE APARTMENT IN THE EVENING.

Ka-chunk!

Man: Aghhh!

A severed hand lies on the carpet of a luxurious, top floor penthouse. A pool of blood trails back to the hand's owner. Carnage stands over a balding, middle-aged man desperately crawling away while trying to wrap his severed arm in a robe.

Man: Please no! I didn't do anything! I don't deserve this!

Carnage doesn't move.

Man: I have money here! Just give me a second! I can open the safe and give you anything you want!

Carnage doesn't move.

Man: Please!

Carnage: Ok. Give us money.

The man crawls over to his bookcase and opens a cabinet below it. Inside is a safe. He begins the process of entering the combination, but his remaining hand is shaking so badly that he keeps hitting the wrong keys.

Man: Damn!

Carnage: We like lots of ones.

The man turns around and Carnage is standing right over him. The creature's skin is a combination of red and black, constantly swirling. Alive. Carnage is staring at him. Emotionless.

Man: I don't have ones. There's only big bills in here, but…but…you can exchange them for wha…whatever denomination you like!

The man takes a deep breath and steadies himself. The door to the safe opens. In a panic, he starts clawing out stacks of bills. Blood is spilling all over them. He pushes them over at the feet of Carnage.

Man: There! Take it all! You can have everything.

Carnage is silently staring down at the man. He doesn't move. The man begins to sob. Carnage's head tilts slightly as if he is studying the man.

Man: Please spare me. Please! I have kids! A family! A wi…

Before the man can finish an axe at the end of Carnage's hand comes down faster than could be tracked by the human eye. The man's head rolls down the living room and under the coffee table. Carnage kicks over the table and kneels down at the head. He stares at it and then looks back at the decapitated body. He walks over to the body and kneels down next to it. His hand forms into a blade and he slices the body open and begins to stuff it with the money. He turns and walks back to head, picks it up and walks to the window. He opens it and kneels at the ledge. Everywhere below him is chaos. Cars are on fire up and down the street. People are running down the street with rifles. Rocks are being thrown through windows. The sound of gun shots is everywhere. A woman screams as a group of men drag her into an alley. A couple blocks away an explosion goes off and shakes all the buildings. Screams echo through the city. Carnage smiles.

Carnage: We are Carnage.

DEEP IN THE ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS

Whack!

Crash!

Whack! Whack! Whack!

The sound of a tree being chopped into pieces echoes through the mountains and down the valley into the forest.

Hulk: Never thought this would be so satisfying.

The Hulk karate chops another large section of the tree.

Whack!

Hulk: I guess this is enough wood for the winter. I'll start gathering it up.

The Hulk picks up three bundles on each shoulder and leaps away.

Hulk: My daily meditation is really paying off. I have just about mastered transformation. I just can't get used to the tingling. Makes me itch so bad. Almost hate changing back and forth. Not sure why I didn't notice this before. Guess the emotion and rage blocked the memories of this weird side-affect.

Ka-boom!

The Hulk lands with force of a tank being dropped from the sky. In front of him is a large cabin. Before he can enter, he hears a voice above him.

Doctor Strange: Dr. Banner!

The Hulk looks up and sees Doctor Strange carrying Daredevil and Captain America in a light blue sphere.

Hulk: Shit.

Captain America: Bruce, we need to talk.

Hulk: No, you need a favor.

Captain America: This will benefit you as well.

Hulk: Pfft.

The Hulk chuckles.

Hulk: What do you want? And don't step on the Violas. They're doing really well this year.

Doctor Strange: I'll cut to the chase because we don't have a lot of time. Powerful forces have been slowly undermining America and corrupting emotions and thought processes for years. The tensions have reached a point where rogue armies are now attacking various institutions that form the foundation of society. Currently, they are targeting financial institutions and their collapse is almost certain to exacerbate all of the existing anger and make civil war inescapable.

Hulk: Well, that's quite a bit. How do you know emotions and thoughts are being manipulated?

A voice echoes through all of their minds.

Prof X: Because I notified Stephen as soon as I discovered it.

Hulk: Professor X.

Prof X: Hello, Dr. Banner.

Hulk: How, what and why?

Prof X: I am one of the most powerful telepaths on the planet. My mind is equivalently as strong as you are physically. And yet, years ago Erik Lensherr's disturbed emotional state was able to somehow slip past my mental defenses, bond with me and create a villain more powerful and horrible than anything the world had ever seen.

Hulk: You are referring to Onslaught.

Prof X: Yes.

Hulk: Well, everyone has a bad day.

Prof X: I don't. For years it has bothered me that his rage was able to infect my subconscious and release my shadow. For someone like me who has such a strong command of his faculties as well as an almost omniscient level of awareness of any mental or telepathic abilities in the environment, this was more than just embarrassing. It was absolutely unacceptable. I began to wonder if there was another substratum of energy where emotions and urges may originate. Where thoughts may pop into consciousness. I wondered if this substratum may exist beyond my awareness or ability to monitor. I decided to test this hypothesis and asked Forge to upgrade the Cerebro. With the upgrades, I was able to track these urges as they arose out this substratum.

Hulk: Wait. You're talking about emotions…

Prof X: Yes.

Hulk: …but you're not an empath.

Prof X: I'm not and I don't have the ability to literally feel people's emotions, but emotion and thought exist within the same polarity of energy. One almost always impacts the other. An individual's thinking is clouded if they're overcome emotionally and someone's emotions can be controlled through meditation. So, if someone is angry or emotional, a reflection or echo of that should show up in their thoughts. That's what I was targeting.

Hulk: Oh boy. I think I'm following. What did you find?

Prof X: Anger shows up in different ways for everyone because everyone has a unique alignment that impacts how they express it and what triggers it. When someone is angry the thoughts change color and symbols swirl differently. But, in analyzing these energy patterns I noticed that there was a consistent signature that repeatedly showed up in certain individuals. For the majority of individuals who attacked the Federal Reserve, this signature showed up in them.

Hulk: This does sound like mind control.

Prof X: Through the emotions, yes. Specifically, through anger and rage, hurt and vengeance.

Hulk: Since there isn't any variation in the pattern.

Prof X: Yes.

Hulk: Which means if it is consistent or uniform, then you are inferring that it may be intentional or targeted?

Prof X: Exactly.

Hulk: Ah. Fuck.

Prof X: Indeed.

Hulk: And you think that this is what contributed to the creation of Onslaught?

Prof X: I have no evidence to confirm this, but it is my suspicion.

The Hulk shakes his head and runs his fingers through his hair.

Hulk: Sigh. What do you want me to do about this? This sounds like a telepath battle. I won't be much help with that. Riot control? I'm sure that will go over great with my relationship with the military.

Doctor Strange: Dr. Banner, I don't think you have tapped into your full potential yet.

The Hulk scoffs.

Hulk: See that mountain behind you? I can bench that.

Doctor Strange: Bruce, you are infused with pure energy. When that gamma bomb went off you absorbed all of it. Do you really believe that super strength is the only potential as a result of that fusion?

Daredevil is being propped up by Captain America.

Daredevil: He might be on to something. I can see radiation emitting off you. It is almost like an energy force field covering you. It seems to respond to your emotions and communication. It pulsates around you.

Hulk: You can do that now?

Daredevil: It actually started happening within the last couple hours. Honestly, my head feels like it's going to explode from all the information I'm taking in.

Professor X: Matthew is experiencing a type of evolution. One that might be possible for you as well.

Hulk: And you all think that an evolved Hulk will help turn the tide?

Doctor Strange: Possibly, but there's more. While in astral form a couple weeks ago I encountered a being of pure energy. He announced himself as Enoch, warned me of the dangerous energies that Charles just described and that you would play a pivotal role in the upcoming battle. Initially, I ignored the experience, but when Charles reached out to me with his discovery I knew we had to reach out to you. Unfortunately, it was too late. The attack was already underway.

Hulk: So how do we find Enoch?

Doctor Strange: He referenced a place called the Mazzaroth. The center of the quantum realm. He said all would be explained when we arrived.

Captain America: He didn't provide any other details?

Doctor Strange: No.

Suddenly a small voice spoke up from Captain America's back pocket.

Ant-Man: Guys, I might know how to get there!

Hulk: Cap's butt just talked to us.

Ant-Man: No, seriously. It's me! It's Ant-Man. I travel in Cap's back pocket on missions sometimes.

Hulk: He couldn't make a little Ant-Man pouch on his arm or something? What if it's right after lunch…

Ant-Man: Guys, gross! Listen…Cap can you get me out?

Captain America reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a small figure with two fingers. Ant-Man quickly grows to full size.

Ant-Man: Ok, listen. I have been making trips to the quantum realm for a while now. In some of my recent visits, I noticed a signal coming from deep inside. I haven't been able to locate the source of this signal yet, but it is distinct. This is significant because NOTHING is consistent in the Quantum Realm. It is constantly changing. Alive. It is almost impossible to map because of this. But, because of this signal I have suspected that there might actually be something in there that isn't completely fluid or chaotic. Something permanent.

Doctor Strange: If that's the case, then let's track down the source. I can create an orb to protect us on the journey. Scott, can you shrink all of us?

Ant-Man: I think so. We can give it a try.

Doctor Strange: Let's go. Dr. Banner, are you in?

Hulk: If I don't you guys will probably just show up again when you get in over your head, won't you?

Doctor Strange: Your powers are needed.

Hulk: Whatever.

Doctor Strange: Charles?

Prof X: Unfortunately, Stephen, my powers are not as effective in the Quantum Realm. I think I would be more of a burden to you than anything else.

Doctor Strange: I understand, my friend. Thank you so much for help and insight.

Prof X: You're very welcome. Please be careful all of you. I hope you find what you're looking for and come back with something valuable that can turn the tide.

In that moment, Doctor Strange raises his two arms over his head, symbols circle around his hands and a light purple orb begins to slowly grow around the heroes.

Doctor Strange: Scott?

Ant-Man: Here we go!

Ant-Man takes out a device that projects an energy field that covers the heroes. The field grows to the size of the orb. He presses a button on his wrist and everyone instantaneously shrinks and disappears.