"Dear Peter,
Over my many years of looking over humanity, I have seen the best and the worst. Since you are my son, I expect you to one day see them through my eyes. I'm almost certain it will change the way you see the world. I just hope that once you witness the worst you feel the same about the people as I do."
The gang traveled through acres and acres of land toward their destination. They encountered some straggling Grimm in their path, but they were al easily put down by either Peter Quill's blasters, Gamora's sword, Drax's knives, Rocket's guns, and Groot's branches. All the while, Gamora kept an eye on the environment for any signs of Nebula who was likely waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Eventually, they reached the city limits of the ruined civilization. Once they reached the top of the mountain, they saw all that remained of the devastated city.
"Yeesh. So this is Mountain Glenn?" Rocket asked.
"What remains anyway." Gamora said.
"It looks like it could be filled with Grimm." Drax said. "I would be happy to plow through them all if it means finding this Dr. Merlot."
Quill put on his helmet and gazed to the far left. "Hold your horses, Drax."
"What? I do not see a need to carry any horses." Drax said. "There's not a horse anywhere in sight."
"I mean let's not get ahead of ourselves." Quill said. "My helmet just spotted a large building in the left side. It's got Merlot's name written all over it."
"How do you figure that?" Rocket asked.
"Because it's got Merlot's name written all over it." Quill repeated. "It reads Merlot Industries on the side of the building."
"I was just going to guess that's what you meant." Drax said. "I was gonna say that, but I thought it might be another metaphor I wouldn't understand."
"I am Groot?"
"It would make sense for him to be there." Rocket said.
"Then let's go pay him a visit." Gamora said. "Once we confirm that he is there, we'll give Lionheart a call and we can end this."
The team headed over to the near end of the city. They approached the ruined, but still strong-looking building that Star-Lord pointed out. Rocket took a moment to notice the working security cameras that were fixed on them.
"I think it's safe to say he knows we're here." Rocket said.
"Then let's draw him out." Quill said. "You still got the thingy?"
"You mean the nitro crystal power cell?" Rocket asked motioning for Groot to pull out the metal crate which held the item in question. "Got it right here, Quill."
"Okay then." Quill opened the box and pulled out the electric cylinder inside. "Hey, doc! You there? We got you your battery!"
A minute later, the front doors opened wide. Looking at each other with suspicion, the gang then proceeded to enter. They stopped at an elevator which opened up and Dr. Merlot stood there with an eager look on his face. A red shine came out of his mechanical eye.
"Well, isn't this a surprise." He said as he approached and circled the team. "You're quite… an unusual bunch. You're not who Lil Miss Malachite usually sends."
"She… has a cold." Quill lied. "But hey, we got you your battery." He held it up for Merlot to take with his mechanical arm.
"Excellent." He said excitedly. "I finally have the final piece for my masterpiece."
"What masterpiece?" Rocket asked. "What do you need that for? You must be building something big to need a nitro crystal power cell."
Dr. Merlot took a long look at Rocket. "Did anyone else hear the animal talk?"
"He's right to ask, you know." Gamora said. "Lil Miss never told us what you were up to. Did you even tell her?"
Dr. Merlot stroked his beard and shrugged. "I suppose since you came all this way, you deserve to know what's in store for tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Gamora asked. "What's tomorrow?"
"My showcase." Dr. Merlot answered. "Step into the elevator with me, and I'll share my secrets."
The team reluctantly followed the mad scientist into the elevator. Merlot pressed the button and they all rode it down. Quill took a moment to notice the total silence.
"Hey, buddy, would it hurt for you to install some elevator music?" Quill asked.
"Shut up, Quill." Rocket snarled.
"Just a question." Quill said. He pulled out his Walkman and played a random song inside his cassette.
"In touch with the ground
I'm on the hunt. I'm after you
A scent and a sound
I'm lost and I'm found
And I'm hungry like the wolf"
"Here we are." Merlot proclaimed as the elevator stopped. Quill stopped his music and exited with his friends and the villain. They entered a long hallway with windows for walls on the side. Groot watched in horror at caged Grimm being poked, prodded, and injected by mechanical drones.
"You're experimenting with Grimm?" Gamora asked.
"Of course." Dr. Merlot said. "Grimm are the key to humanity's evolution. They've been around longer than mankind. They adapt. They learn. And all those fools think we should destroy them when we can learn from them, use them, make them better."
"You want to improve Grimm?" Rocket asked. "That seems a bit… unsettling."
"That's what Merlot Industries is really for." Merlot said. "After the fall of Mountain Glenn, I had to work in secret. And right now, I have done it. I have concocted a formula to make Grimm as strong as we want them to be. Observe."
Merlot pointed out one window where a common Beowolf was restrained below. It snarled and snapped its jaws while trying to escape. A drone approached the Grimm from behind with a needle full of a green, glowing liquid. It injected the liquid right into the Beowolf's back making it roar in pain. It lowered its head for a moment before shooting it back up. Suddenly, the Grimm grew bigger and shot green spikes out of its back. Its eyes and mouth changed to a blue color and it easily broke out. It was about to attack, but with a push of a button, Merlot sprung up a large cylinder right next to it and it stopped itself. It gazed up at the doctor with a lack of will in its behavior.
"What was that?" Drax asked.
"That, my friend, is the future of Remnant." Dr. Merlot said. "I built a series of nodes that tap into the unique chemical signature of the mutant serum. It turns this mindless animals into obedient workers."
"And you expect this node thing to last forever?" Rocket asked.
"If the others are any indication, this should last a very long time."
"Wait. What others?" Gamora asked in concern.
Dr. Merlot held up his scroll and displayed an image on it. The group were utterly petrified at the mutant Grimm spread out by the dozens. They were all put into rows like soldiers in an army.
"There's a little pee coming out of me right now." Quill commented.
"Just picture it." Dr. Merlot said. "An entire army of mutant Grimm spread throughout Remnant. Forget about hunting Grimm when we can control them. No need for Huntsmen! No need to be afraid! A MOST BEAUTIFUL WORLD… and it's all thanks to me."
Rocket leaned in to whisper to the others. "Okay. This guy is clearly not right in the head. Let's just get the lead out, call Lionheart, and let him send this guy to the cuckoo hut."
"Not yet." Gamora said. "There's one more thing that isn't clear." She approached Merlot. "There's just one thing I don't get. If you can already mutate hundreds of Grimm, why do you need the power cell?"
"Ah. That's a very good question." Dr. Merlot said. He continued down the hallway with the others following him. "As good as my control nodes are, they have several vulnerabilities. If any of them get damaged, we could have a mess on our hands. We need a much more reliable signal to tap into the Grimm's mutations and control them permanently. That's what my latest invention is for."
Once he had approached the sealed door at the end of the hallway, Dr. Merlot opened it. It opened revealing a nearly empty room with a very high ceiling. At the center of that room, a mechanical chair hovered above the ground without any legs. It had a helmet set connected to its top.
"A hover chair?" Quill asked. "That's not an invention. That's every couch potato's dream."
"This hovercraft connects the user's brainwaves and sends out a signal from them." Dr. Merlot explained as he approached its back. "I've tuned in the nodes' signal into the device already. All I have to do is match my brain to activate it, and all the Grimm are mine to control with a mere thought. I hired the Spiders to bring me each part to build it one at a time. All that is left is…"
"The nitro crystal power cell." Rocket said.
"Exactly. It's the only power source strong enough to keep it going." Merlot said as he hooked the battery into the back of the hovercraft. Suddenly, golden lights emitted from the chair shining like a beacon in the night. Dr. Merlot sat in it and began hooking the helmet to his head. "The funny thing is, I was told this was a bad idea. I used to work for a science organization called the Advanced Ideas Mechanics. But they cut me off because they claimed I was too unstable for them and forbade me from doing this. Well, I'd like to see them react to this!"
Dr. Merlot's helmet emitted a purple glow and a door on the other side of the room opened. Quill and the others were taken aback by the mutant Deathstalker that entered. Merlot grinned wickedly making the Grimm do whatever it wants with his mind. He laughed maniacally as he made the Grimm move however he wanted. The others on the other hand were even more scared.
"Amazing, is it not? And tomorrow, all of Remnant will see the true power of Dr. Merlot!"
"What?" Gamora asked with great concern escaping her tone. "What's happening tomorrow?"
"I'm groundbreaking my research for all of Remnant to see." Dr. Merlot said. "And what better way to showcase my power than to unleash a full frontal assault on an Atlas military base, such as the one in Argus?"
The group widened their eyes at the madman. "You can't!" Gamora cried out. "There's a whole town there! Innocent people will die!"
Dr. Merlot chuckled. "In order to make something new, you have to destroy what's already there first. That's innovation."
Quill motioned for his team to huddle far from Merlot's earshot. "Okay. So now, can we go and warn Lionheart?"
"We can't." Gamora said. "We won't be able to warn him in time for him to stop Merlot from destroying Argus."
"So what?" Rocket asked. "You want us to stop him ourselves? The guy's got a freaky Grimm at his command."
"Perhaps if we attack him now, we can cut his head off before he has the chance to unleash the beast on us." Drax suggested.
"Drax, you idiot. That still doesn't solve the Deathstalker problem." Rocket said. "Instead of dealing with one controlled by him, we'll be dealing with a wild one along with a whole army of them."
"I am Groot?"
"That won't work either. Look, guys, I know Lionheart told us to find this Merlot guy and tell him where he is, but last I checked, stopping this evil idiot wasn't in the job description."
Dr. Merlot interrupted the huddle with a cough to clear his throat. "Fun fact. Due to this room's high ceilings, the sound bounces around. I can hear your secret conversation all the way over here."
"Uh… That was a test and you passed?" Quill asked.
Dr. Merlot wasn't convinced. He gazed at the Deathstalker and uttered one word. "Kill."
The mutant Grimm roared and charged right at the team. Peter tried to blast it with his guns, but they didn't even phase it. With no other option, the group ran back into the hallway. They reached the elevator, but other than wait for it to arrive, Groot ripped open the door and stretched his arm back to the ground level. He carried the team all the way up where the Deathstalker couldn't climb.
"Wait! We gotta kill it!" Drax yelled out.
"What? Why?" Rocket asked.
"If I run from this thing, I'll never grow strong enough to kill Tyrian Callows!"
"Drax, you idiot, don't!" Rocket called out.
But the brute didn't listen. He let go of Groot's branches and dropped back down to the Deathstalker. Rocket yelled out in frustration as they made it to the ground level.
"Quill, Gamora," Rocket cried out, "You two get out of here! Me and Groot are heading down to save that idiot!"
"Come on, Quill!" Gamora yelled out as she began to run.
"You don't have to tell me twice!" Peter said catching up with her. But as he left with her, they both stopped surrounded by hordes of Grimm from the city. "Okay, this might be a problem."
Down at the bottom of the lair, Drax struggled to even keep up with the Deathstakler. No matter how swiftly and fiercely he swung his blades, they couldn't even come close to matching the mutant Grimm. He tried to deliver an overhead stab, but it swung one of its claws that knocked him down. It then wrapped its tail around him beginning to squeeze. Drax grunted and yelled feeling the constriction.
"YIPPEE KI-YAY, DR. MERLOT!" Rocket cried out as he and Groot ran into the fight. Groot quickly extended his arms to force the Deathstalker to let Drax go. He coughed his breath when Rocket came up to him and slapped him. "Don't go jumping to mutant Grimm!"
Groot continued to wrestle his branches around the Deathstalker until it backed off. It returned to its master who hovered underneath the top of the room which was opening up.
"It doesn't matter now." Merlot said. "Tomorrow, the world of Remnant changes forever! A new world will begin, and honestly, I do hope you're not a part of it!" He flew out in his chair while the Deathstalker disappeared into the same door it came out of.
Back at the surface, Quill shot away as many Grimm as he could and Gamora slashed at any monster that got too close. Groot climbed out of the elevator shaft carrying Rocket and Drax, who was still exhausted.
"I have failed to vanquish the beast." Drax said.
"Who cares?" Rocket asked. "Merlot, got away! We gotta… Oh." He just noticed the waves of Grimm surrounding them. "Okay, this might be a problem."
"I just said that." Quill said. "I said that exact same thing."
"That doesn't matter!" Gamora cried out. She knew it was beginning to look hopeless as the Grimm circled in closer and closer. Their backs hit the wall. "We need to get out of here!"
"How?" Quill asked. "There's no way!"
Suddenly, a bird cried out. Groot noticed a black raven fly over toward them. And in the blink of an eye, Quill's bandit leader appeared right in front of the group.
"Raven?" Quill asked. "Where did you come from?"
"No time, Quill!" Raven replied. She swung her sword into the air and a black and red rift hovered in front of them. "Get through now!"
"In there?" Rocket asked. "Lady, you're out of your…"
"No, it's fine!" Quill yelled. "It's safe! Look!" He jumped through and disappeared. Everyone shrugged and followed.
Once they were all through, the team found themselves in a primitive campsite in the middle of the forest. Other Branwen bandits surrounded them as Raven approached Peter. She swiped the Walkman away from him.
"Hey! That's mine!" Quill demanded.
"Enough about that!" Rocket cried out. "Who is she?"
Peter sighed. "Guys, this is Raven Branwen, leader of the Branwen Tribe and my boss."
"You're THE Raven Branwen?" Gamora asked. "Then you can help us. Dr. Merlot has an army of mutant Grimm under his control and he's going to use it to destroy Argus. We have to stop him before it's too late."
Raven took a good look at the Walkman before turning her red eyes to Gamora. She gave her answer. "No."
Author's Note: So Merlot's plan comes to light, and it doesn't look like Raven's willing to help. Any and all comments are welcome.