They'd been made to wait quite a while, which was rather embarrassing when they were still trying to impress their new friends (the Doctor had taken to referring to them as such, even if both Layla and Moon Knight were strongly against the idea). They'd tried the contact details a number of times, the phone going to voicemail every single time. The Doctor was starting to curse their luck that the Tardis wasn't in any fit state to come and pick them up, meaning that they were now reliant on this seemingly undependable means of travel. They weren't going to fork for a plane ticket back to the US; they definitely didn't have enough money, nor enough time, to be considering that.

When the fiery portal had eventually appeared, taking up most of the space in the cramped apartment, the Doctor had given the group a relieved smile. She was going to be having words with Wong when she next saw him, which was going to be incredibly soon. After describing the location they were destined to reach, Moon Knight had decided that it was best to leave Khonshu behind, knowing that magic and gods weren't going to mix very well. And he also wanted any excuse to be rid of that infernal presence, especially after being bound to him once again. Khonshu, meanwhile, had been more than happy to miss, stating that he could never trust what a sorcerer would want to do with him if he was spotted. Though his departing remarks, a reminder to Moon Knight that the debt of servitude was still owed, showed how he wasn't too worried not to come after him if he needed to.

Layla had experienced many miraculous things over the years. She had even been possessed by a literal god for an evening. But taking one step in Egypt and having the next one fall in America was certainly towards the top of the strangest things she'd done. She looked around at their new surroundings with wide eyes, feeling the place glow with an unknown energy. Even Moon Knight was impressed with the feat, though he was much better at hiding it. Dan was simply pleased that he'd been able to make it through the portal this time without almost falling over; if this sort of progress continued, then he would be a pro in no time.

Their host hurried into the room, discreetly rubbing at his eyes for a reason they couldn't tell. Wong looked slightly dishevelled and they were left wondering what sort of urgent business had taken him away when he'd last left them behind. Even if he was in a haggard state, it wasn't enough to stop the Doctor from marching up to him with her hands on her hips, a look of clear displeasure etched onto her face. He may have been the Sorcerer Supreme but she'd faced down plenty of people with fancy titles before, and she'd do it many times afterwards. It was the main reason why she had so many titles herself.

"What time do you call this?" she asked angrily. "We've been waiting for you to open this portal for nearly an hour! Do you know how embarrassing that is when you tell people your bezzie mates with a wizard?"

"I'll ask you again not to call me a wizard," Wong replied.

"I don't think you're in any position to be complaining at me . I'll call you whatever I want for as long as I'm annoyed at you." Her expression softened somewhat. "Which won't be for long, I must admit. I'm not one to hold grudges for ages."

He held up his hands. "I can only apologise for my tardiness, everyone. As you'll remember, I had very urgent business to attend to. You won't believe how hectic and arduous the time has been. Court trials, fake magicians, demons…and that's only scratching the surface."

"Does that have anything to do with what we're facing?" Dan asked, now worried that he was going to have to fight demons alongside the other major threat looming over them.

"Thankfully not. This was more of a personal matter. Sadly, even when the world is in danger, other irritating problems continue to persist. But that should be dealt with now, which means you have my full attention. I'm hoping you bring with you some useful information." He glanced past the Doctor to observe the newcomers, not even surprised by the get-up of one of them. "Since it seems you've also added a few more members to our team."

"Oh, yeah!" the Doctor said with a smile, always liking to show off her new friendships. It wasn't exactly a competition but she was the best at making friends. "This is Layla." She paused to allow the other woman the chance to wave, which didn't come. "And the one in the brilliant outfit is Marc…and Steven…though it's probably easier to call them Moon Knight for the time being otherwise…"

"Wongers!" a voice shouted from somewhere deeper in the sanctum, interrupting the Doctor's ramblings (which left a heavy pout on her face). It was a rather shrill tone, definitely feminine. They were starting to think that they'd interrupted something a little bit more intimate .

For what it was worth, Wong appeared equally as perturbed by the disturbance, covering his face in what seemed like embarrassment. He turned away from the rest of the group, hoping to stop the approaching person before she showed herself. He got to the end of the hallway, almost getting there in time, but then a woman appeared wearing an oversized fluffy hoodie. The Doctor thought it looked rather comfortable, though she was curious to know whether she was actually wearing anything underneath (it was really rather hard to tell). The woman skidded to a halt when she realised that there were other people there, though her smile didn't show any awkwardness that Wong was evidently feeling. His port of call was to try ushering her away, but she had set her sights on the makings of what could have been an excellent party.

"Wongers!" the woman repeated in a disappointed, chiding tone. "You didn't tell me that you were having friends over! I would have come to say hi! And I would have dressed up a bit more. I can't believe you're allowing people to see me like this!"

"Funnily enough, he didn't tell us that he had another guest either," the Doctor commented, folding her arms and staring pointedly at the sorcerer.

"Well, he's always like this, isn't he? It's who he is. He's a sorcerer …" She wiggled her fingers dramatically to accentuate her point. "...they have to have a bit of mystery and keep loads of secrets. It's in the job description."

"I'm sorry…I'm confused." Jane raised a hand, obviously struggling with this new development that came in a long line of new developments. "Is she another superhero? Have you been assembling more of a team?"

Wong was still trying to direct her out of the room. "Madisynn was just leaving . She isn't involved in this and I'd prefer to keep it that way. Mainly for her safety."

Madisynn successfully outmanoeuvred him, which was a real low point for him. "He's always worried about my wellbeing. He's such a cutie like that!" She flicked her hair, staggering towards where Jane was standing. "Can I just say that you look amazing ? I'm going to have to get the deets of your designer because I reckon I would serve going to the clubs looking like you." She wrapped a hand around one of Jane's biceps, with the superpowered scientist still too dazed to react properly. "Although I might need to bulk up a bit if I'm going to pull it off. Maybe you could throw in the number of your personal too, along with the one for your stylist. And maybe your hairdresser too because those curls are to die for."

Jane had never really been complimented to such an extent like this, and she couldn't help but blush at the praise. "Why…thank you…"

"I'm still waiting for an explanation as to who this is," the Doctor reminded them, now tapping her foot impatiently.

"Is it normally like this around here?" Layla wondered.

Moon Knight was shaking his head. "I'm already doubting the choice we made when we agreed to come with them."

"Things are a little bit chaotic," the Doctor allowed. "That's for sure. But I think, given the circumstances, we can let that slide. All we need is a few introductions and we can get on with the job."

The woman stepped forward, appearing to be preparing herself for her big moment. "I'm Madisynn. That's why two n's and a y, but it's not where you thiiiiiink." She did a small dance; the Doctor didn't know whether this was just an accepted form of introduction in this world and began to awkwardly boogie with her, before Yaz put an arm on her shoulder to stop her. All she got as an explanation from her companion was a shake of the head.

Wong groaned wearily. "Happy that introductions are over now? Can I get rid of her now?"

"Wongers!" She lightly hit him on the arm. "You shouldn't speak to me like that. You're supposed to keep me sweet."

As much as their interactions were rather amusing, the Doctor knew that there were more pressing things to attend to. They couldn't afford this sort of distraction, especially when she was fizzing with eager energy after their latest discoveries. At times, she was like a toddler, desperately wanting to tell anyone within a certain radius the new information she'd learnt.

"Is this why you took so long in responding to us?" she asked.

He held up his hands, seeing that the situation had completely spiralled out of control. "I can explain…"

"We were just getting to the finale of one of the seasons of the Sopranos," Madisynn butted in, something Wong seemed distraught about. "Very emotional. Very dramatic. I suggested it would be best for us to switch off all mobile devices so that we could properly immerse ourselves in the experience. Let me tell you…me turning off my phone is practically unheard of but I'm willing to make sacrifices when it comes to my new bestie."

"I thought I saw you wiping away a few tears!" Dan shouted, pointing a finger. "Is that why? Were you crying at the Sopranos?"

"...it was a very moving episode," Wong said, refusing to look anyone in the eye. "I'm not going to apologise for being in tune with my emotions."

"Yeah, but you're going to apologise for forgetting about the mission in a time of crisis just so that you could watch a bit of tv!" the Doctor argued.

"I'll have you know that it's more than a bit of tv ," Madisynn pointed out, as if that was helping defuse the steadily growing tension.

"Listen," Wong said. "Like I told you, I've had a fairly stressful day. I was simply taking a comfort break. I presumed that you were still in Cairo and that our other team was still busy in San Francisco. Maybe it wasn't the best idea."

"But I can be very persuasive when I want to be."

Dan raised his eyebrows. "We should probably steer clear of those details."

The Doctor looked confused. "Why? What's she implying? Why's Wong going red in the face?"

Yaz rolled her eyes. "Doctor, you've got too innocent a mind to be told about such things. Let's leave it at that."

Wong cleared his throat. "Can we please move on? You're here now, bringing new information on the problem at hand. If you'd care to divulge that…although I should probably call for America since she's had the most experience with this multiversal threat." His face suddenly went pale. "Oh dear…that reminds me. You're not the only ones that I've forgotten to check in on."

He moved to the side of the room so that he'd have enough space, and drew a circle in the air. The same golden sparks they'd seen a few times now appeared, creating a new portal. Madisynn clapped her hands in appreciation, cheering him on. Through the hole, they could see an unremarkable street. Or it might have been a pretty ordinary street if it hadn't been for the group of people waiting there, led by a blonde woman in a flashy uniform.

Carol stepped forward, entering the sanctum, and glared at the sorcerer. She was promptly followed by Kamala, who looked to be glad at being reunited with the rest of them (though she was looking anxiously at the newcomers, who were just as apprehensive). The other two people that arrived hadn't been introduced to them yet, both appearing to be fairly young. Their clothes didn't denote anything special about them, but the Doctor was quick to note the glimmer of the rings on the man's arms. Even without analysing them with the sonic, she knew that they contained a great deal of power. They practically thrummed with potential.

Wong could already tell that he was going to get shouted at. "Before you start…"

"Two hours," Carol ground out through gritted teeth. "We've been waiting for two hours. I could have flown here and back about a dozen times, but I didn't want to leave these guys behind."

"I was up for her trying that before I remembered that she goes so fast that we'd be set on fire," Kamala said. "Then I thought it best for us just to wait."

"It seems as if we've come at a busy time…"

"You're not the only one who's had to wait," the Doctor told them unhappily. "I'm not the sort of person who usually has to hang around for time to take the linear path."

"Can we focus on the true matter at hand?" Wong asked desperately.

"I think we should be focusing on the fact that you went on a date whilst we're trying to save the universe!" Dan complained.

"It wasn't a date!"

"It wasn't?" Madisynn wondered, quietly.

The sorcerer suddenly looked all shy. "Well…I didn't want to presume anything…it's been a very long time since I've done anything like this."

She wrapped an arm around his shoulders, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. "Awy, Wingers…you're actually like…the sweetest person I've ever met."

Carol was tapping her foot in irritation. "As adorable as this is to watch, we've still got a whole lot of work to do. I've brought you Shang-Chi, like you asked."

The man in question waved awkwardly at the people he didn't know. "Hi. I have the rings as well. Captain Marvel told me that this probably has something to do with them."

She ran a hand over her face. "Just one person. I just want one person to refer to me by my actual name. That's all I ask."

"I'm Katy, by the way," the woman next to Shang said, feeling as if she'd been forgotten. "I'm just here for the ride, it seems. And because Shang was secretly nervous about being in a room full of superheroes again."

"There's nothing secret about it. I feel like I've done something wrong. Me receiving the rings seems to have activated that signal, and now I'm being told that might have kickstarted some sort of multiversal conflict? Yeah, I'm going to be nervous about hanging out with the people whose job it is to actively stop things like that."

"It's very nice to meet you, Shang, Katy. Not to take the limelight away from you, but we've acquired the finest experts on Egyptian history and mythology," the Doctor proudly announced, gesturing spectacularly at Layla and Moon Knight. They'd been trying, now unsuccessfully, to simply keep to the background of the discussion but the Doctor's pronouncement put an end to those aspirations.

"No way!" Kamala shouted, staring with wide eyes at Layla.

The other woman took a step back nervously. "Have I got something on my face? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I've seen you before. Well, online. People were taking videos of a fight in Egypt and you were definitely there! Although you looked a bit different. You had a whole gold theme going on that was really working for you. And you had wings…I can't forget that." She absentmindedly glanced at Layla's back, as if she would find the feathered appendages hidden away somewhere. "What were they calling you again? The Scarlet Scarab! That's it!"

"They…gave me a superhero name?" Layla couldn't help but feel a little bit honoured, even if she hadn't really wanted the powers in the first place. She doubted that many people did when they first went through that sort of transformation.

"You don't know? Oh my god, you've been tearing up the reddit forums ever since you first appeared. And then you vanished off the face of the earth and people were losing their minds, coming up with theories about when you'd next show up. You're gathering quite a bit of a fan base, me included."

"I'd like to point out that I was also there," Moon Knight reminded the young woman. "Have people been talking about me? Not that I'm bothered or anything…"

"It'd be pretty hard for you not to stand out dressed like that. I didn't even think when the guys were going to Egypt that they could bump into you. There's so much that I want to ask you about. How did you get your powers? If that's not too personal a question? Are you planning on teaming up with other heroes? Well, that's a stupid thing to ask because you're standing right here…"

Layla put a hand on her arm to slow her down. At the rate Kamala was talking, it looked as if she was close to having her head explode. "It's safe to say that neither of us wanted those abilities you've seen on the internet. I, for one, have packed it in, which means that the wings have been hung up for good."

"But…you looked so good," Kamala pleaded. "And look at us all. We're actually forming a team here! We're creating our own version of the Avengers! This has basically been my dream since I was a little kid. We definitely need someone who can fly like you."

"Um, I can," Jane said, trying not to be insulted. "Well, it's more like Mjolnir carries me but that's just semantics."

"I'm getting the hang of it too," Shang-Chi said. "There's a certain thing that you can do with the rings to propel yourself, though, if it goes wrong, it really goes wrong, if you know what I mean."

Katy was smirking at the memory. "Don't worry, everyone. I've got plenty of videos of him landing face first on the ground that I'd be perfectly willing to show you all. For a very reasonable price."

Carol coughed loudly, rather perturbed that Kamala had forgotten about her in particular. It wasn't that she liked having a superfan but, now that she'd got a taste of it, she also didn't want to lose it either. "Do I need to remind you that I can fly? Across space?"

"But the Scarlet Scarab has wings," Kamala argued. "And they're gold."

"Please! Everyone!" Wong yelled, feeling a headache growing. "This is really getting out of hand."

"You only have yourself to blame for that," the Doctor said to him quietly, not caring that she sounded rather smug.

"I'm getting that sense, yes. But we have a lot to discuss. If we can just head over to…" He was interrupted by a phone ringing. "Oh, come on!"

Jane was the guilty culprit, bringing out her phone awkwardly. When she saw who was calling, she knew she had to answer, no matter how dark the glares were that she was receiving. "Valkyrie? What's up?"

On the small screen, she could see the season warrior fighting off some sort of creature whilst still managing to keep her face in shot. "You need to get back here! We're being overrun and could do with an extra pair of hands! Some sort of shadow creatures are attacking New Asgard!"

Of all the things she'd been expecting, it hadn't been that. For a split second, she'd even considered that Thor might have returned after somehow sensing the change to his trusty hammer. "How did this happen?!"

"Do you really want me to go into details right now or are you going to fly over and help?"

Jane looked at the group. "I should really see what this is about. For all we know, it might be connected to this threat we're chasing."

"An excellent idea," Wong said. "Be sure to report back as soon as possible." And, with that, he produced yet another portal, this time leading to the coast of Norway, and sent Jane through it. It didn't sound as if she had enough time to be flying there.

"We didn't even get to say goodbye!" Yaz complained.

"Miss Khan, you'll find that this business doesn't usually leave a lot of room for farewells. Especially when we've wasted so much of our time, as it is! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to Kamar Taj and I hope that you'll all follow me. Otherwise, please enjoy the snacks that I'd prepared for my now ruined Sopranos marathon."