Chapter 26: Doom Calls Us Out
I woke up feeling like absolute f*(#!*% $#!+. My muscles felt like cement, my mouth was dry as dirt, and my chest hurt like hell. Don't get me started about the rest; Taskmaster's nanites did a number on me. Speaking of Taskmaster…..
I jolted up like The Undertaker! My sword was raised, and my eyes were so fulla voltage, I coulda charged a whole store of iPhones! Allyson grabbed my arm, and soothed me with a gentle hum.
"Breathe, Jason," she said calmly; tho she looked like I was somethin' out of a horror film. "Its ok, Bolt Boy, breathe. The fight's over. We're done for the day."
I did as she said, taking deep breaths that my chest did not agree with. As I did so, I surveyed the land. We were on a beach, somewhere in Jersey I guess, and not a Helicarrier in sight. I sensed a two whole miles filled with recovering and/or dead agents and heroes, but no Helicarrier.
"Where-" I started to ask Allyson.
"Jersey Shore," she stopped me. "The Helicarrier's toast. Doom totaled it with a huge lightning bolt. Also, Grant's missi-"
She stopped in mid sentence as we both literally felt a small part of reality shatter. Literally, it was like someone broke an invisible glass window, and outta the shards spat out my boy Grant! He stumbled onto the beach, and Allyson abandoned me (thanks for that) to give him a hug. She cried a little, as he was apparently gone for over an hour.
"Wait a sec," I said. "How long have I been out?"
"About the same time," Allyson said. "Confused the heck outta me. Your body seemed fine, but you didn't seem to wanna get up."
"Sounds like me on weekends," I said. "How ya feelin', GT?"
"Me?!" he almost yelled. "I'm not the one that got sliced to pieces and stabbed in the heart!"
"Wait, WHAT?!"
He recounted the events of his efforts to save me after I blacked out. He did good, all the way up until Loki somehow managed to get a hold of me, lock him in something called the Mirror Dimension (sounds like a haven for girls on Prom Day), and stab me through the chest with his spear. I immediately powered down, ditched my shirt (I sensed Allyson's smirk), and surveyed my chest. There wasn't a scar of any kind, but I think I figured out why my body was hurting so much. All over my veins and arteries, Hercules, Apollo, Zeus, Hades, and Ares Energy were dancing around my body like a light show! Hell, the more I thought about it, the more it started to hurt! I suddenly tensed up, clutching the sand beneath me as I tried to deal! Grant and Allyson rushed to my side, trying to help me through it.
"What's wrong, dude?!" Grant shouted.
"Just breathe through it, Jason!" Allyson yelled.
"TRYING TO!" I roared "HURTS SO BAD! I…..AAAAAAGH!
Yeah, that totally manly roar (it was like I hit puberty in my voice for the first time) was accompanied by the biggest eye blast Jersey Shore's ever seen! All that pent up energy inside me just let lose in one violent eye vomit (delightful) ! It felt good in all the wrong ways; like when you have to take a mean $#!+, or finally swallow that huge lump of food that was kinda sorta stuck in your throat (don't lie, you relate to at least one of those). When it was all said and done, my body felt cleansed. A little empty, but it didn't hurt as bad anymore.
"Uggggh," I grumbled out.
"Yeah," Allyson said while patting me on the back. "That about sums it up."
"Helluva lightshow," Grant shrugged.
"I second that," Fury said through the comms.
"Fury?" I responded. "Where-"
"Your eight o'clock. In a gazebo near the boardwalk.'
We looked behind us to eventually find Fury with extremely damaged armor, sitting next to Agent Hill, Mrs. Kennedy, and Black Panther. I put my shirt back on, and we flew over to them, kinda getting that principal's office feeling as we drifted closer to the gazebo. Hell, it wasn't for nothin'; everyone looked like $#!+. Hill and Kennedy were basically shedding broken parts of their respective armors in clumps of metal and wires. Hill had a nasty gash over her right eye (which Allyson rushed to heal), and had a broken arm (also healed by Allyson). Storm was breathing heavy, her arms and legs slumped like a sack of bricks, with a "we just got our asses whooped" dead face on her. Black Panther was the only one who looked like he wasn't half dead. His suit was in good shape, tho his helmet was cracked along the middle. He had a bruise on his forehead, but other than that he was fine. As me and the team floated to the gazebo, all eyes turned on us. Oh yeah, this was definitely a principal's office type scenario. The Helicarrier was trashed, people were dead, and Doom had promptly spanked our asses all on my watch. I was about to get slammed John Cena style, and I can't even pretend like I didn't deserve it. There were only two seats available in the gazebo. Allyson took the one next to Storm, leaving me with the seat next to Mrs. Kennedy (yippie). Grant made a chair outta hardened sand at the edge of the gazebo entrance. None of us said anything for a few seconds; we just kinda wallowed in the overall $#!++iness of the moment.
"So," I finally spoke up. "Who wants to be first?"
"To what?" Fury responded.
"You know what. Just say it. I failed. I messed up back at the canyon, I messed up in the sky. All that effort to keep the stones away from Doom all for nothing! Two f*(#!^% hours, and I f*(#%$ it up!"
Thunder boomed overhead, and I felt the waves and the wind pick up rapidly. I quickly realized I was on the verge of creating a hurricane. Dunno why, but I felt more powerful than usual. I'd experiment with that later, but for now I was just glad the thunder was enough of a distraction to give me time to collect myself. Call me whatever you want, but I wasn't gonna let Fury and the others see me break down.
"Now's not the time, Fuller," Fury simply said.
"What?" Grant, Allyson, and I responded.
Yeah, this was a far cry from the roasting we were expecting.
"Yeah," Fury continued. "We lost. Your plan failed. Doom has the stones we fought so hard to keep from him. Cry me a river. You don't play this game as long as I have, without taking your lumps every now and again. We're not here to assign blame. We're here to regroup, recuperate, and figure out the next move."
Before I could respond to that, everyone with a communicator (literally all of us) got an emergency broadcast. Hill pulled up a hologram screen on her watch, enlarged it, and moved the screen just outside the gazebo (Grant had to move his chair to the side). On screen…...well, to put it bluntly, I got a full sense of just how f*(#%$ we actually were. The screen kept flashing to a lotta different conflicts going on around the world. I saw an assault on The Raft, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s metahuman prison, by a horde of Dragon Men enhanced by Olympus Energy. There was an army of undead soldiers leading various raids on military bases in the U.S. and every other country with any kinda military set up. This was where super speed bit me in the ass. With so many boxes on one screen, anyone coulda got lost. Not me. I saw it very slow detail. An undead Abomination raiding a nuke silo in Kansas (guess Grant gave him a shave too close), an undead Taskmaster leading an army of Dragon Men on the Triskelion (S.H.I.E.L.D's base in D.C.), and my old buddy Goblin back at it again, attacking the Russian army. Hydro Man, powered by Sea Force, decimated the U.S. Navy, and I there was an army of Yellow Jackets and Doombots, charged with Apollo Energy, invading Atlantis.
"Where is this broadcasting from?" Fury asked Hill.
"Everywhere, sir," she responded. "Every TV station, mobile device, computer; anything with a Wi-Fi connection. Doom's got the whole world watching."
"How unfortunate for him," Black Panther spoke. "He will have 7 billion eyes watching the fate of those who invade Wakanda."
Black kitty cat wasn't bluffing. Even now, I was watching one of the screens that showed a large army of undead, Dragon Men, Doombots, Yellow Jackets, and Hand Ninjas, all lead by Dragon Empress, attacking Wakanda's borders. Didn't catch much before the feed cut to something else, but I distinctly remember an army of bald black chicks in red armor, black dudes in gold armor and purple capes (reminded me of Camp Jupiter), and some Wakandans in S.W.A.T. lookin' gear, wielding energy shields and rifles. And don't get me started on their anti-aircraft measures. I saw a ship that looked like a dragonfly, turrets big enough split battleships, and several other weapons that made me pray Atlantis never went to war with Wakanda, cuz I honestly don't know who'd win. Anyway, the various screens eventually merged into just one. Doom was projecting an image of himself standing above Avengers Tower. Next to him was…..Jim?!
I panicked a little. What would Doom want with Jim?! How would he even find him?! I wished I could deny it, but half a second to analyze the screen confirmed it. A 55 year old white dude with dreadlocks that reached down to his mid back, wearing big grandpa glasses. Same beat up trench coat over a dirty T-Shirt, black slacks, white Nikes, and several chipped teeth inside that mouth of his. Ok, you don't know Jim, you wouldn't know Jim, but Jim's good people! He was a homeless dude who hung out around the B train station in Brooklyn. He never bothered anyone, and was one hell of a sketch artist. I would spare a Lincoln every now and again to get a sketch of my mom, Hannah (when we were a kinda sorta thing), or something DBZ related. Hell, if the dude stopped spending all his cash on booze, and McDonalds, he'd at least be able to get himself some better clothes. I dunno how Doom found him, or why he was there, but if that tin can asshat even looked at him the wrong way, i'd put his ass in the dirt no matter what!
"Greetings, my subjects." Doom's voice boomed so loud, I think I was actually hearing it in the real world. "I, Victor Von Doom, the first of my name, protector and lord of Latveria, Master of the Mystic Arts, and the rightful ruler of this world, welcome you to the Age of Doom!"
He lifted his fully assembled Olympus Gauntlet (which looked dope as $#!+), and clenched his fist.
"I admit, the Thanos parallel is all too obvious," he continued. "And of course, the multi-colored power stones are a bit gauche for Doom's taste, but make no mistake, these are the tools that will finally user in the golden age this world so desperately needs under the rule of Doom. For too long humanity has squabbled amongst itself. For too long you have been held back by petty feuds over lands, religion, race, resources, and many other trivial pursuits that mean nothing in the grand scheme of the universe. How many times have you witnessed the near end of our race due to forces beyond our sphere of influence? From conquers whose reach spans entire galaxies, to arcane beings that have lived long before the dawn of man? Indeed, it is only because of Doom's wisdom, Doom's foresight, Doom's mercy, that a cabal of those beings has not snuffed out this planet like a light. I have saved this world, and now I will purify it! No longer will you fight over religion. Those that submit to my will shall have Doom as their lord and god to worship. No longer will language be a superficial barrier to keep those willfully ignorant in their hovels. Those who join me in my new world will be of one language. No more will the petty distractions of social media dull the minds of our youth. Those in the new empire of Doom will be the objects of adoration. No longer will you need celebrities, and "heroes" to give you a taste of a higher life; you will be the envy of gods themselves. No more will you have to fight wars over limited resources. In Doom's kingdom, you shall want for nothing. Some of you may be foolish enough to call me a tyrant and a madman. Doom is above your insults, but is not above forgiveness."
Doom stepped towards Jim, and my heart went a million miles per second.
"Behold," he gestured to the quivering homeless dude (I actually growled a little). "James Bartholomew Baker. His father was a drug courier; dead before the boy's 6th birthday. His mother was a harlot. She spent majority of her days with a needle in her arm, or a bottle in hand. When she could spare the time, she would grace James with a fist; that is if her frequent consorts did not quite literally beat her to the punch. James' mother died of heroin overdose, leaving him an orphan at 13. The boy did not make it to high school, and spent the rest of his life selling himself, transporting drugs, and raiding pharmaceutical stores, all so he could fund his next meal, buy a suitable tent, and the occasional bottle of whiskey and lottery ticket. Look upon him, humanity. Look upon your legacy. For it is not your military might, nor your towers of vanity, nor your meaningless updates on your social media, nor your beloved heroes that defines you in this universe. It is your failure. Your failure which has led to the downfall of this man. I have seen alternate timelines; potential futures for Mr. Baker. Most of them end either no better, or significantly worse than this existence. A few outliers were present, but they were few and far between. That is because in almost every timeline ever, humanity has done what it does best. You slaughter each other in droves. You allow the weak and the good to be swallowed by evil doers of all kinds. You advocate and feed a system that keeps the rich safe and protected, while the poor have to struggle for table scraps. The sick are forced to indenture themselves into debt just to have a taste of medicine that could save their lives, and you have made a world in which it is easier and more prosperous to steal, rape, and kill, rather than make an honest living. Look upon Mr. Baker, humanity. Look upon this gifted artist who could have been. He is but one of the billions you have failed. No more will he suffer."
Doom put a hand on his shoulder. It was all I could do to not try and make a break for Avengers Tower.
"James Bartholomew Baker," Doom said. "Kneel. Kneel, pledge your life and loyalty to Doom, and you will want for nothing ever again."
Jim definitely wasn't a brave man (I chased away a few would be muggers away from him every now and again). Plus this was Doom we were talkin' bout. Even the bravest, tough as nails Marine probably woulda caved under that magic glove of his. But yeah, Jim knelt, pledged his life and loyalty. He broke down into a sob, and my heart broke. I swear to every f*(#!^% god in every f*(#!^% religion, on every f*(#!^& planet, I would put a sword in Doom's chest. Don't care if the world ends after that, don't care if Loki stabs me in the back 100 times, I would kill that asshole before I went out! Doom conjured a rainbow fire in his palm, mumbled a few mystic words over it, and blasted Jim with it! I made lightning go off again (couldn't help it) as I heard him scream in pain! A few seconds later, his scream shifted into a laugh, and Jim rose from the flames a new man. Seriously, if I didn't see him before the rainbow pyro, I never woulda known it was him! Jim was lean, border line scrawny under his beaten up trench coat. New Jim looked like a Greek god statue! Old Jim had greasy, grey dreads, that looked like decaying snake skins. New Jim had long goldilocks that practically glowed. Old jim was….well, old, short, and not exactly a poster boy for good looks. New Jim was 7 ft tall, not a day over 35, and had a face worthy of Aphrodite. I'd actually feel happy for the guy if I believed Doom actually had his best interests at heart. Speaking of which, Doom wanted to show off his new toy to the world (that didn't come out right). He pointed a finger in the air, and a giant boulder, big enough to crush a skyscraper, materialized outta nowhere. Doom let the boulder drop from a mile above Avengers Tower.
"Go on, James," Doom calmly said. "Show them the power bestowed on you by Doom."
Jim leaped high into the air like a kangaroo on magic steroids (I dunno, just came off the top of my head). As he got closer to the falling boulder, he light up like a Christmas tree, and smashed into the boulder with the force of a DBZ power blast, straight up vaporizing the mountain sized boulder! Jim landed next to Doom superhero landing style (hear that's hard on your knees). As he stood, Doom outfitted him with a silver battlesuit, that looked like a mix between a medieval knight and War Machine's armor.
"My god," Jim breathed out; his voice sounding like someone but a harp in his voice.
"You may address me as king," Doom responded (dick). "As will all who accept my gift. Doom's new world does not exclude those who have defiled themselves in the eyes of the law. All misdeeds against society will be pardoned for those that serve the one true ruler of all. Yes, even you 'heroes' that have spurned Doom over the years will be forgiven if you bend the knee and pledge your life and loyalty to Doom. Behold, your salvation!"
Everything went dark; like pitch black at night dark. The only light that was available were the occasional lightning in the clouds (I was having trouble stopping that). That changed on a dime!
Imagine looking through a telescope as big as…..well, the sky. The black sheet of nothing suddenly burst at the seams with a billion stars. Damn, I loved looking at stars. It was the one good thing about camping in the woods (hate the woods); you could actually see them. Why couldn't Doom just stop here?! What better way to use nigh omnipotent cosmic power than to get the stargazing of a lifetime?
"Uhhhhhhhh," Grant said.
"Very articulate, Mr. Jackson," Fury said. "Hill, is this isolated?"
"Negative, Director." she responded. "I'm getting reports from every corner of the world. No matter what corner of the world you're on, everyone is seeing this exact same star pattern."
"That's gonna be hell on the tides," Grant said.
"Nah," I said. "It's just a projection. It's a damn good projection, sure, but the sun and moon are still exactly where they should be. Doom's just putting on a show."
"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh," Allyson said, pointing to the sky.
I looked up and sure enough, uhhhhhhhhh was right. Big, bright, made of every energy from the combined Stones of Olympus, a giant comet, easily the size of Rosetta's Comet, was formed! Seriously, look that up, and how it stacks up to a city like L.A.! It was kinda terrifying to watch it being created; even more so, considering Doom intended to slam that thing into the Earth!
"Do not fear," Doom said, reverting the atmosphere back to normal. "Just as Mr. Baker has been reborn in the fire of the gods, so shall you! Prey to your lord and god, Victor Von Doom, and when the heavenly vessel purifies this world, you will rise as a god; pure and perfect. Refuse Doom your loyalty, and the fires will consume you. Children are blameless, and will have a place in Doom's new world no matter what. Those beyond the age of thirteen are accountable for your own actions. I implore you, especially parents and guardians, to think of the future of your families. Of course, all will be one in Doom's kingdom, but nothing can equal the bond between family. Don't tear apart life long bonds in the name of your pride, or your misguided faith in your gods and heroes. Submit to Doom's will. Kneel as mortals, but rise again as gods; masters of your own fate. Also….."
He snapped his fingers, and the sky went dark again (could've at least brought the stars back) and three huge projections of me, Grant, and Allyson on our previous land missions. There were projections of our fight against Venom, The Serpent Society, Goblin, and even Magneto and the Brotherhood. It was kinda flattering that Doom put together a highlight reel for us, but I smelled a challenge coming.
"These…..children." Doom continued. "These thorns in my side, have attempted to deny Doom what was rightfully his. Doom admits his surprise; these young ones have displayed a level of skill and power beyond that of their years. Doom is not fickle, nor petty. The offer for amnesty extends to them as well, yet their determination convinces me that they would spit in my face if they were here."
"Damn straight," I mumbled.
"Doom will not be called a coward." he continued. "It will not be said that Doom was fearful; that he did not allow his enemy's a fair chance to 'save' their precious status quo. If you still insist on defying Doom, he will permit only the three children one last chance to defeat him. The comet will strike the earth at 12 noon tomorrow. You have until then to attempt one last futile attempt against Doom. Your surrender would be preferred, but it matters little to Doom. Make your choice. For your sakes, I hope it is wise. Doom will permit an evacuation of New York. Should a battle truly be his fate, there will be no innocent lives lost on the account of foolishness."
The images dispersed, the sky went back to normal, and I was left feeling like y stomach was a pit. Doom had an army, a comet, and a former friend turned into his personal dancing monkey. I had my friends (always good to have), what was left of a totally decimated global intelligence agency, and a handful of barely able bodied heroes. Not exactly an airtight fighting force. I'll admit, I got a little…..a lot frustrated. Doom had all the cards; I was backed up against the ropes. I knew Mom wouldn't bow to Doom. She was all out for Jesus 100%. No way I could convince her to kneel….she was gonna die. My mom was gonna burn tomorrow, all because I failed!
"JASON!" Allyson yelled at me.
I felt like someone just yanked me out of a whirlpool. I was confused as to why Allyson just up and decided to blow my ear off, till I realized I mighta been out of it for a good minute. Rapid thunder claps were just starting to die down, the waves were starting to calm down from sea storm level, and I had four F2's spinning just outside the gazebo (gave everyone one hell of a sandblast).
"And you wonder why I think you're unstable," Mrs. Kennedy said.
"Can you not?" Allyson snapped at her. "Honestly, you're no help."
"I'm sorry," I spoke up. "Sorry. I just-"
"What you need," Allyson stopped me. "Is to snap the heck outta….this."
"Wow," Grant said. "Advice of the century that is."
"Shut it, Jackson. And you, Storm-Lord, snap out of it! Like Fury said, you lost; tough. Doom's got all the stones, and means to pretend like he's God; tough. We're outnumbered, outgunned, and outta time; cry me a river. My parents won't bend to that pompous tin can loser, and i'll bet 20 bucks and a bottle of Sprite neither your mom, nor Grant's folks are gonna kiss his boots either. That means they'll all die if that comet hits. Look at me, Jason. That. Will. Not. Happen! My family will not burn tomorrow! My friends will not burn tomorrow! Heck, you and Grant have your powers. That black hole demon bitch damn near drained me; i'm runnin' on empty."
"Sorry about that," Grant spoke up. "Black Hole Girl…...yeah, she was one of the demons I fought back when I went Hyperbolic Time Chamber training with Gaea. Thought I kinda sorta killed her. Guess not."
Allyson face palmed.
"Dude," she shook her head. "How many of your exes and/or one night stands may end up trying to kill us in the future? I really need to know at this point."
"Meh," he shrugged. "Let's take it on a case by case basis."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the best I got."
She sighed and shook her head.
"Potential deadly exes aside," she continued (guess Grant was Ramona Flowers). "Jason, you gotta get your head back in it. We gotta take Doom down for good this time, and we need you to do it. Kill this fum your in; it ain't a good look. We need the Jason that took down a monstrous Green Goblin all by himself. The Storm-Lord that led us into the depths of the sea to win a war for the Stone of Poseidon. You can do this, Jason, and you won't be alone. Together, we're gonna win."
I looked over at Grant.
"What she said, bro," he nodded. "We came this far; i'll be damned if we don't finish it. So come on, dude, put that big brain of yours to work. It's 4th and goal; we need a touchdown to take the win."
"Not all of us are football fans, Mr. Jackson," Fury said. "But I get the sentiment. You have the floor, Mr. Fuller; try not to mess it up again."
"Well, with a pep talk like that," I breathed out. "Ok, gimme a sec."
I took a few seconds (minutes for me) to calm myself, and consider my options. We weren't exactly bursting at the seams with em', but there were a few scenarios I was considering.
"Ok," I finally said. "Fury, how many agents total do you think you can muster up?"
"I've got all my agents pulling out on hundreds of assignments," he responded. "In total, we're looking at a little over 1,000 fighters."
"Not bad. Not bad at all, actually. What can we give em'? Do we even have any heavy duty weapons left?"
"Will 1,000 standard issue battle armors work?" Mrs. Kennedy spoke up.
"What?!" I gawked at her. "How?"
"You think I make everything by hand? Please, Fuller, the assembly line has been a thing for a good while now."
I nodded at her.
"Ok," I continued. "King, T'Challa, I don't suppose you have any fighters to spare? I mean, not to be insensitive, I know you're dealing with an invasion-"
"Not for long," he stopped me. "Doom was a fool to believe he could succeed in conquering Wakanda."
"Didn't he almost rip your kingdom right out from under you a few years ago?" Grant asked him (c'mon, man).
"Keyword: almost," T'Challa brushed him off. "Every invasion attempt on Wakanda has failed. Remind me to tell you what we did to the Skrulls, when they tried. In any case, I can recall a suitable fighting force. Will 300 Wakandan special forces soldiers do?"
"Beggars can't be choosers," I said. "Your contribution is appreciated, King T'Challa. Ok, now we need to talk heroes and evacuation."
"Evacuation measures are already being taken," Hill said. "Ever since Hulk attacked New York 10 years ago, we engineered an evacuation plan for occasions like this."
"We're gonna evacuate all of New York?"
"Yes, though it's not as difficult as you'd imagine. Take a look."
She switched the monitor to evacuation efforts in Midtown, Harlem, Hell's Kitchen, and the Upper West Side. Hundreds upon hundreds of kennel looking ships landed in specific sections, and transformed into portals wide enough to three story houses in. As the portals got set up all over the five boroughs, an alarm went off, instructing the civilians to make their way to the nearest portal. It took a while to get any traction, but the people eventually started to get with the program. They either walked, drove, or biked through the portal. There were efforts to get people outta hospitals by the bus loads, and i'll admit my heart swelled a little bit when I saw people go outta there way to pick up strangers, elderly, and even homeless people. What can I say, New Yorkers pull together in a crisis.
"Where are they going?" Allyson asked Hill.
"The microverse," Hill said. "Specifically, a station that replicates Earth environment, big enough to house the entire human population if need be. They won't need to eat or drink in there, but we have enough rations to keep them fed."
"But you just said they don't need to eat," Grant said.
"They also won't need to breathe or sleep. They'll still try. We need to ease them into time suspension. Hopefully they won't stay long."
"Will they be safe down there?" I asked. "From the comet?"
"I don't know, but we've got the rest of the planet to worry about."
"Right. Ok, back to the troops. Fury? Can you get a word out to all the heroes?"
"I can rustle something up, sure."
"Then call all the banners. Every hero still on this planet that can punch a Doombot. Avenger, Defender, X-Man, New Warrior, whatever. Get the word out to meet…..uhhhh."
"The Avengers West coast compound will do as a good rendezvous point."
"Always wanted to go to L.A.," Grant said. "To bad it took the end of the world to get me there."
"You'd be surprised how often the world is on the brink of destruction, Mr. Jackson. The difference this time is that you're in on the gig."
"Yippee."
"Ok, guys," I stopped them. "Let's stay focused. So we have a decent fighting force-"
"That we can't use," Allyson interrupted me. "Doom only extended the invitation to us three. I doubt he'll take to kindly to an army beating down his door."
"Door? The hell are you-"
She pointed to the projection, and I my jaw dropped. Doom was such a little bitch, he was actually putting up a force field around the entirety of New York City!"
"That son of a bitch," I murmured.
"Understatement," Grant backed me up.
"So…...about that army?" Allyson asked.
"We'll get it in," I said. "Somehow."
"Even if we could, wouldn't that be cheating?"
"This ain't kickball, Allyson. Besides, Doom is up to something; I don't trust him."
"What do you mean, by that?" Fury asked.
"Think about it, the guy's gotten his ass beat so many times, even when he had ultimate power. Now he's got the power to remake the world as he wants, and he's taking his time?"
"It is considerably more complicated than that, ," T'Challa said. "Even with the amount of power he now wields, Doom is performing very complex magic. It would be hard enough to bestow that amount of power on one person. On a worldwide scale, the risk is considerably higher. Doom is posturing, no doubt, but he is most likely struggling to keep that kind of power in check."
"Understood," I said. "But my point still stands. Doom's got the world by the balls. He's completely declawed almost every country's military, spanked our entire operation, and is less than 12 hours from taking the big W. Sure, it's a punk move to put himself in a nice little dome, but that doesn't make it stupid. He's got all the cards; all he has to do is sit tight and pop a bottle of champagne. Why's he even letting us have even a scrap of a chance to derail his plans?"
"He beat us with only three stones," Allyson said. "With the whole set…...wow, we really don't stand a chance."
"What happened to that pep talk of yours? Wait….gimme a sec!"
I messed with my morpher, and summoned Z.O.R.D.O.N.
"Sup, dude," he said.
"Z.O.R.D.O.N." I said. "Gimme a diagnosis on your current firmware status."
"Wow, absolutely no love for the A.I."
He converted himself into a holographic screen of coding, and after taking a while to analyze it, I grinned like Cheshire Cat.
"Uhhh….ok," Allyson said. "Anyone wanna-"
"Z.O.R.D.O.N.'s managed to integrate himself into the nucleus of Doom's software." Mrs. Kennedy said.
"Exactly!" I said. When we were on the ship I had Z.O.R.D.O.N. do a two fold effort. While me and Grant were using him to attack Doom's System, I had Z.O.R.D.O.N. make an effort to copy Doom's data, and integrate it with his firmware. Doom's system managed to dump a lot of the excess outta its system, but nothing short of a complete wipe/reboot could get Z outta the control unit. I don't even think the system even knows its not itself anymore."
"And what can you do with that?" Fury asked me.
"A number of things. I could shut Doom's entire operation down, but that'd be pointless. He's got his own energy source, not counting 7 new ones. I turn the power off, he turns it back on, and deep scrubs Z.O.R.D.O.N. outta his CPU."
"What about making his suit self destruct?" Allyson asked.
"Doom wasn't stupid enough to put a self destruct function in his suit. Seriously, what's up with that? Besides, blowing up a god energy powered weapon of mass destruction in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world?"
"Well, when you put it that way….."
We all chuckled a little (even Fury, Kennedy, and Hill), and it felt so good on such a deep level. Even in the face of the end of the world, I couldn't believe the smallest things gave me reason to smile. I woulda rode that feeling out for as long as I could, but then my powers started acting up again!
I doubled over, slamming my fists into the gazebo floor so hard, I split the wood. I felt the pulse pounding aggression that came with the Ares Energy (also my hair was on blood red fire) first. Half a sec later, I felt the power of Hades course through every fiber of my being. The sky lit up with the fury of a billion white hot bolts of lighting, following by an ear splitting volley of thunder. I felt the familiar surge of Sea Force, but expanded so much to where I thought the Stone of Poseidon had somehow managed to come back to me. The weirdest sensation tho, was the mixture of Apollo and Hercules Energy surging through me. I felt like I could lift a million trucks stacked on top of each other, and then melt them into slag with the Apollo fire burning in my chest. I'm not entirely sure what happened, but my power seemed to ebb away slowly over the next 30 seconds. When I opened my eyes, I realized it was actually me that did it. The excess Ares Energy was physically in front of me as a giant red energy sword. Yellow flames were actually streaming outta my mouth and nose, like I was a dragon (my younger self that was obsessed with American Dragon: Jake Long woulda lost it). I just barely realized how close I was to washing away the recovering agents and heroes still on beach with the every incoming tide. I somehow managed to divert the Hades Energy into the ground (that was somethin' we could do without), and of course, the sky was just starting to come down from the massive thunderstorm I basically vomited out. I rose back to my seat, and focused on the giant ruby red energy sword impaled just barely a few feet away from Fury's toes. I tried attuning to the energy, which felt weird as $#!+. Sure, I controlled a good chunk of it back at the canyon, but that was rage and adrenaline. Trying to use it now felt like a part of my body I didn't even know was there was waking up. The energy was volatile like a volcano; just trying to connect with it made it rumble and shake.
"Fuller," Fury warned me.
I didn't answer; couldn't let myself get distracted while handling what was basically an RPG waiting to blow. I managed to break the sword down into a puddle of blood red, white hot, liquid.
"Impressive," Grant said.
"Shut up," I growled.
I focused on trying to construct the napalm puddle into…..something (real specific). Dunno why I was so determined to make this work, but I was not about to embarrass myself in front of everyone here. I focused on the napalm puddle (which somehow didn't melt the wood), trying to give it shape. After a few seconds, I felt a wave of pure bloodlust crawl over me. I tried to fight it, but it engulfed me like Majin Buu did too Gotenks (i'm a big nerd, I know)! I suddenly felt small. It was like someone shrunk me down to a pebble and threw me in a hurricane of fire, blood, and destruction. I know that sounds hyperbolic, but until you actually feel what it's like to be one with the ethereal energy of the entire Civil War (American), until you've felt the fear, hate, pain, and rage of 750,000 dead soldiers, over several million bullets and cannon shots, and the wails of families torn apart by destruction…..well…...let's just say it changes you. I honestly don't know how long I was trapped in the War Force (official, in case you forgot), but the same merging process I went through with the Civil War, I also went through with both World Wars (Atomic Bombs sting…...a lot), Vietnam, Iraq, the Punic Wars, Trojan War, and….look all of em'. Every. Last. F*(#!^%. War. Ever. I wanted nothing more than for this to end, but the War Force had other plans for me.
I suddenly felt myself in a slightly different plane of existence. Oh, I was still in the War Force, but compared to what I just got out of, this was a quiet room. Hell, that was saying somethin', cuz this place was still a f*(#!^% war zone. Nuclear bombs were going off rapid fire, Gatling guns were shooting bullets into the primordial space, and don't get me started on the grenades, mines, and mortars. Yeah, this place was a bloody field of chaos (Xbox Live in a nutshell). I had no idea what I was supposed to do, but apparently 10 seconds of rest is too much to ask for. The nukes started to boom harder, the bullets were now shooting straight at me, and the fighter jets (which I didn't notice before) were going kamikaze on my ass! This time was different…..well, kinda. Sure, the War Force was an inherently violent power (duh), but when I was getting showered in endless wars, there wasn't any malice from it; the War Force was just taking me for a ride (a $#!++y ride, but a ride nonetheless). This wasn't that, this was…..defense. Wherever I was, this part of the War Force didn't want me here; it thought I was a threat. Maybe I was, cuz for all the heavy artillery it was slammin' me with, the War Force couldn't put a dent in me. Seriously, pillows hurt more than what the War Force was shillin' out. I mighta taunted it (cuz i'm dumb like that), but I felt it….I dunno, fold in on itself? Seriously, it felt like the War Force had split itself up, and was entering itself? Like I said, i'm kinda stupid. Still, for what I ended up getting, I was kinda in the ballpark. A huge tornado of fire and blood (like F5 level) materialized barely 10ft away from me, raged for 10 seconds, and then slowly dissipated until all that was left was…..Ares.
Meh.
He looked almost exactly the way I saw him from the vision. Black breastplate with a skull on it, Greek battle helmet with a ridiculous plume on top, the only difference was that he was wearing jeans (cuz why not), had an axe in his left hand, a Gatling gun in his right, and quite literally had two utility belts slung across his breastplate, making an X. The utility belts were loaded with grenades and beer. That is…...kinda awesome. Anyway, Ares looked at me for a few seconds, dropped his axe, and took of his helmet. The guy looked like a biker going through an emo phase. He had a mohawk almost as big as his war helm plume (that must get in his eyes a lot), and huge mutton chops on either side of his face. Good lookin' dude, won't deny that; hell, he kinda looked like a less hairy, taller version of Wolverine. He eyed me for a few more secs, then took a beer from one of his utility belts.
"Drink?" he offered me, and wow, deep voice.
In the vision his voice was gravelly, now it was like Brad Pitt's Achilles had a baby with The Undertaker's (truly a holy union).
"Nah," I said. "More of a rasberry Sprite kinda guy. Besides, we're in your…...brain? How would that even work."
"Good point. I'm actually drinking' outside this $#!+ hole."
"Kinda dangerous to drink in the middle of a war."
"Kinda dangerous to tell a god he's wrong."
"Gods don't scare me anymore."
"You've never seen a real one in action."
"And what, you bout to show me? I've survived everything this place got, and ain't got time for this; I got $#!+ to do. How bout you let a brotha go, eh?"
He stared at me for another few seconds, and popped his beer open (drained it in less than five seconds!)
"You got heart, kid." he said, crushing the can into a disk. "Must be, you're one of mine's after all."
"For real? Like what generation." I responded (hey, after two gods claim you, it loses its luster).
"Hard to tell. You got ties way back to Romulus. The blood line's been diluted over the millennia, but got reuped every now and again by one of my sons or daughters. I ain't , but rough guess says your last bloodline refresher was three or four generations ago."
"And that's why the War Force didn't kill me?"
"War Force….yeah, I like it. Oh and yeah, that's why your mind hasn't melted to sludge yet. Don't expect any gifts or nothin'. I thought you were a threat; you're not. Get outta here."
"Gladly, but can I get some advice first?"
"Sure, stay away from Olympus, kid. I know Zeus' bloodline and powers remained strong in you, but I can see old barnacle breath has his claws in your lineage too. Gods know how many others are in there. No offense, but you're an accident. Somehow or another, the bloodline of several gods managed to find their way into you. If too many Olympians hear about you, they'll dig their claws into you, your family, your friends, and everything you ever cared about. They'll pull you apart like lions fighting over a scrap of meat, and you'll break. Spare yourself the pain. Join the Avengers, be a villain, do whatever you gotta do. Don't come up here lookin' for purpose; we ain't exactly a lovin' family."
"Not exactly what I was hopin' for, but i'll take it. Hell, I read every scrap of Greek myths I could find. Believe me when I tell you I wish I could fly under the radar, but after tomorrow every god in every pantheon's gonna know what's goin' down. This is bigger than both of us, bigger than probably the whole f*(#!^% universe. Come on, at least hear me out."
Ares considered it for a while, then popped another beer open.
"Alright," he shrugged. "Just cuz I like you, kid, i'll give you till I run outta beers.
Not exactly a vote of confidence with this dude. He may have had at least 10 beers (each as big as a Monster can), but he chugged the last one in five seconds. I definitely had to summarize like a mofo. I quickly skimmed over the Stones of Olympus nonsense, the Shadow Gods, my friends and their $#!+, Doom and his bull$#!+, and the fact that the world was gonna be his sandcastle in a little under 12 hours. I just barely made it with half a beer to spare.
"Well?" I asked Ares.
He burped real loud (classy).
"I was just kiddin' bout the time limit," he said. "Son of a Gorgon, I hate speedsters when they talk like that."
"C'mon dude!"
"Kid, relax, get that sword pommel outta your ass. Look, you managed to f*(# things right into the ground; we both know that much. You and your buddies also failed at keeping a low profile; poor bastards. Still, no use harpin' on the past, we got $#!+ to do. I'll tell you this much, if my stone hasn't made you brain dead, it likes you; same for the others that you've picked up. The stones are fickle; they'll fight for whoever's strong enough to take them, if they like em'."
"So the stones like Doom?"
"Dunno, but he knows how to play ball with em. Usin' magic and tech to wrangle em' in? Smart move. Still, the power of gods aren't any mortals plaything for long. They'll resent being used as a battery. You get em' to turn on Doom, and he's already lost. That good enough?"
"Actually….yeah. Thanks."
"No sweat, kid. Give Doom a kick in the nuts for me. Now if you'll excuse me….."
He summoned another Gatling gun from nowhere.
"I got $#!+ to kill," he said.
I felt the War Force wrap me up, then spit me out. When I could see straight again, I was back in the gazebo. I was breathing heavy, and my head was still spinning like a top. I felt like I was gonna hurl, but I put my head down until it passed.
"Ugh," I groaned. "How long was I out?"
"Out?" Allyson asked me. "You just seized up for a few seconds, Jason. What happened?"
"Had a chat with Ares. By the way, never go into a god's brain; it's not a good experience."
"Seemed to work well enough. Check out your Spartans."
I looked down at what used to be the napalm puddle, to find an army of 50 mini Spartans (about half a foot tall) standing in phalanx formation in the center of the gazebo. I quickly realized how much control I had over the War Force now; no longer did it feel foreign to me anymore. It felt like blood was boiling at 200 degrees! I could feel a certain undertone of rage simering at the base of my being, but it was under control. Now if I was in a fight…...well, Doom was gonna find out real soon. I experimented with the soldiers, making them move around a bit left and right. Still, I needed more time to get used to this. I created another army of red Power Rangers (Forever Red), and had the two armies go at each other. Oddly enough, I didn't have to do much when it came to controlling them. I told them to fight, and they did so. All I had to do was keep the energy up.
"Since when could you do that?" Fury asked me.
"Started at the canyon," I said. "Probably more incoming. Where were we at again?"
"Before you got sidetracked with that…..stuff," Hill said (jerk). "Thinking of ways to take Doom's suit down."
"Oh yeah," I said. "Allyson said we should make it self-destruct."
"It was just off the top of my head!" she got all defensive. "Geez, lay off."
"Relax, i'm not comin' at you, girl. Hell, you mighta been onto something. Z.O.R.D.O.N., can you gimme the stats on Doom's suit?"
"Anything in particular?" he responded.
"Energy regulation. Cross reference current data with data from the time of the canyon battle."
"One moment, bro."
Z.O.R.D.O.N. split himself into two screens. One had Dooms energy regulation and output from the canyon battle, while the other had energy readings as they currently were. It didn't make any sense. Sure, Doom's energy levels for more than double of what they were at the canyon; that makes sense. What didn't was the fact that in both energy readings, his suit was operating at max capacity. Unless he had some extra power reserves….wait a sec.
"Ok, Z" I said to Z.O.R.D.O.N. "Show me the suit schematics.
The screen data transferred into suit blueprints, and boy was it something! Under the hood, Doom was packing not one, not two, but seven arc reactors! They were placed kinda like the way Thor's disks were on his armor (what's up with those?); six going down the chest, with the final one placed where his belly button would design was odd. Unlike usual arc reactors, these ones had rivets around the reaction ring, just outside of the particle accelerator modules (yup, i'm a big nerd). The cooling fan at the base of the power chamber were repurposed to be energy redirectors that transferred excess energy to the arc reactor port, which had an outer ring that at the very least was made of Vibranium.
"The metal in those outer rings," I said to Z.O.R.D.O.N. "Half of it's Vibranium. What's the other half?"
"Adamantine, man," he responded. "The fabled metal of the Greek gods. Nigh indestructible, and an apparent arcane booster, just like Vibranium."
"How come everybody seems to have Vibranium these days?" Grant asked.
"Are you volunteering to give your Vibranium weapons back, Mr. Jackson?" T'Challa asked him.
"Not yet, if that's alright with you, King."
T'Challa shrugged, and I continued analyzing Doom's suit. His gauntlet was made of the same Vibranium/Adamantine alloy, along with the suit's internal wiring. Yeah, the enchantmented rings had a series of wires and cables attached to them, which were also spread out across the whole of Doom's armor. The power kept building up and regulating itself, probably making Doom stronger than the stones could originally make him.
"Anything going on in that head of yours, Mr. Fuller?" Fury asked me.
"He's doubling his power with the arc reactors and wiring," I said. "Most of it's being used to power his suit, but he's gonna pack one hell of a punch."
"But you have a plan?"
"Somewhat. Back at the canyon we managed to get the upper hand on Doom, for 10 seconds maybe, by managing to crack his gauntlet."
"How'd you do that?" Kennedy asked.
"Magic. The energy went haywire, and it looked like he was gonna burn up in a Skittles bonfire."
"You wanna do that again?" Allyson asked me. "Now i'm certain my plan was better."
"Ha ha. But seriously, as stacked as Doom's suit is, it can't hold an infinite amount of power. If we could find a way to overload the suit, the gauntlet specifically, we could shatter it and get the stones away from him; finally get enough of a drop on the bastard to take him out."
"You're going to kill him?" Hill asked me.
"What do you think I use my axe for?" Grant spoke up.
"What he means," Allyson intervened. "And i'm pretty sure Jason was gonna get at, was we'll do what's necessary."
"This plan," T'Challa said. "It makes sense, but how do you expect to overload Doom's armor. You have no control over the Olympus Stones anymore."
"True, but I learned a thing or two from being in Ares' brain. Long story short, i've got way more god in me than I thought. Also, the stones are more powerful than even Doom knows. They don't like being chained, and they only respect strength. I'm not exactly sure what i'm getting at here, but I think I can get the stones to turn against him. Furthermore, I think Doom already shot himself in the foot."
"And that means?" Fury asked.
I had Z.O.R.D.O.N. go back to the energy readings.
"Most of Doom's power is going to that comet," I said. "I can feel the damn thing from here."
"Same," Allyson said. "So much Apollo Energy in the thing; feels like a sun is flying straight to earth."
"I see your sun," Grant said. "And raise you a rainforest the size of the United States.
"Ok," I stopped them. "We get it. How do you think I feel? I'm connected to all that $#!+ now. Still, what i'm getting at is that Doom is pushing the stones to the max. Sure, he's creating energy reserves, but the stones are most likely straining under the weight. If we can lure him into another fight, preferably with more heroes ganging up on him, we could probably take him."
"How do you plan to sneak an army into New York went Doom was very specific on the invitation list?" Hill asked me.
"We'll get to that later," I said.
"Why not now? You know Doom is baiting you into a trap. The very second you step into that city he'll drop some kinda army on you."
"Which may not be a bad thing."
"What?" everyone looked at me all shocked.
"Check out the energy readings. In both instances, no matter how many stones Doom has, no matter how much energy he's using, the suit is always operating at 100%. His suit literally adjusts its processing power to handle as much power as it needs to."
"Why would he design the suit like that?" Grant asked.
"So that the energies he possess do not run amok and consume him," T'Challa said. "If I had to hazard a guess, Doom is using those arc reactors to artificially create more energy for himself, as the stones still refuse to fully submit to him."
"That comet in the sky says otherwise."
"It's called posturing," I said. "We're dudes, we practically do it in our sleep. Hell, back at the canyon with that whole rainbow sword nonsense, Doom admitted he was there cuz the stones wouldn't leave him be. Even with the sword, I don't think he wears the pants in this relationship. That brings me back to my idea. Like I said, the suit adjusts its processing power to cope with the amount of energy its handling at the moment. Doom's using a lot of energy for his comet, but he's also leasing out a lotta power to his goons. If tomorrow goes like I think it will, there's gonna be a big battle. Every time we take a Doombot or villain down, the energy will most likely go back to Doom, but what if there was a way to keep the energy from him? Like…..what if we could keep the energy in some kinda pocket to use for later?"
"Not a bad idea," a voice said from just outside the gazebo. "Perhaps I could be of assistance."
Reality broke…...again. Doctor Strange walked outta this breach this time, but looked different. Instead of his bright blue pijamas, the dude was wearing a dark blue tunic with a huge brown waist sash. He had blue combat boots, and a dark red cloak with his eye necklace thing right at the base of the neck. His face looked slightly different from the last time I saw him. Hell, he kinda looked like that guy who plays Sherlock on that…...Sherlock show (mom watches it, I can't stand it). He floated towards the gazebo and hovered meditation style just to outside one of the windows.
"Glad you could finally join us, Doctor," Fury said. "Do I even need to ask why-"
"Multiversal demons that eat children from the inside out," Strange said (wow). "They get in their bodies by planting themselves inside a piece of cereal, and biding their time. So many youngsters lost because of Lucky Charms. I managed to round these demons up by laying a trap for them, and succeeded in releasing the souls of the children they consumed. Unfortunately, I sustained critical damage while doing so, and had to merge my essence with another me from earth 999,196; hence my altered physical appearance."
"So what kinda cereal does the Sorcerer Supreme eat?" Grant asked. "And what earth are we on?"
"I'm partial to Apple Jacks, though i'll have to cleanse every bowl I eat from now on with a drop of holy water. Also, our earth is 616,000."
"Damn. You'd think any earth with me in it would be in the top 10 for sure."
Everyone either groaned, facepalmed, or sighed at Grant.
"Oh, Mr. Jackson," Strange said. "You truly are something special. I wish Gaea the best of luck with her new champion."
"You know about that?!" Grant almost flinched.
"Of course. I could feel the bond ripple across the multiverse. Same with you Mr. Fuller; you've recently awakened a great deal of cosmic power inside you. Be wary of deities, by the way, they are a dubious lot."
"So i've been told," I said. "Anyway, you were saying something about my energy pocket plan?"
"Ah, yes. Observe."
He waved his hand almost casually, and my Spartan/Red Ranger War (still a bloody stalemate) was washed away in a flash of yellow energy. I thought he just disintegrated my army (dick move), but I didn't feel the energy return to me.
"Congrats," I said kinda salty. "You broke my toys."
"I'm sure you can make more Mr. Fuller," Strange said. "Go on, make some more."
I didn't like that Strange was talking down to me, but I wasn't gonna lose my cool here. I created more Spartans….only for strange to wipe them out again. He had me do this a few more times, wiping out armies of hawk-headed warriors, Trojans, Romans, and Centaurs. Ok, now I was getting pissed!
"Ok, Dumbledore," I snapped at him (Allyson laughed at me). "What the hell are you getting at?"
"I object to that, Mr. Fuller," he calmly responded. "I am a Pottermore certified Slytherin."
"Yeah," Allyson spoke up. "Apparently Pottermore doesn't mean jack if you don't get the house you want."
"Let me guess. Dissatisfied that you were not sorted into Hufflepuff?"
"Oh, I was sorted just fine. It's these two wannabe Gryffindors that threw a fit."
"Hey," Grant said. "We took the full test to get a answer that wasn't skewed. All were Pottermore questions, so it still counts."
"Have to concur with Mr. Jackson. I've taken the full test just to be sure of my serpentine status."
"So did I," Allyson said. "Just sayin', those guys got it out for Pottermore."
"Well, Hogwarts Houses aside, I believe you were looking for this Mr. Fuller?"
Strange made an arching gesture with his arms, and a huge ball of War Force (like jumbo beach ball big) materialized in the center of the gazeboo. The amount of rage and violence radiating off of it was so intense, Allyson had to hum in the background just to keep everyone from hitting each other. Strange dissipated the energy ball, and I felt the energy return…..not to me?
"Confused?" he asked me. "Yes, I suppose it is rather puzzling."
"What just happened?" I asked him.
"I just put the energy you used fo your constructs in an alternate dimension I used as an energy pocket. You were confused as to why the energy never returned to you, even when I released my hold over it. The truth is that the War Force, Sea Force, Geo-Force, Nature Force, even the power of the dead are not yours to begin with; you're merely tapping into an energy well that permeates the very fabric of the multiverse. What Doom does not realize is that the stones he possesses are merely vessels for a power too massive for even them to hold."
"Which is why he's stretching them thin, without even knowing it."
"Indeed. Under normal circumstances I would have been able to dissipate that comet myself, but Doom is playing a dangerous game here. Even with all the power of the stones, he could not hope to warp the planet on such a massive scale without assistance from other principalities."
"The Ones Who Sit Above In Shadow."
Strange looked taken aback (guess he didn't know everything).
"Who?" he asked.
"It's a whole nother can of worms" I said. "I'll tell you what I know later."
"Him?" Fury interjected. "You still got me to worry about, Fuller. You been holdin' out on me?"
"It was on a need to know basis, and I didn't think you needed to know. Besides, Thor probably knows more about them than I ever will. Give him a shoutout."
Fury looked like he wanted to retort, but Strange stopped him.
"In any case," he continued. "No, not The….the Shadow Ones. No, Doom has incurred the aid of the likes of Cyttorak, Dormammu, Ikonn, Shumagorath, Belial, and many other principalities that are not to be trifled with lightly. Through an unholy bargain forged in blood magic, Doom has gained this reality altering power, using the stones as catalyst tools. I've no idea what he promised them in return for their services, but the only way to destabilize the magic protecting the comet is by taking his life. I shudder to think the punishment in store for one who fails to pay their debts to so many principalities."
"I just got Princess and the Frog flashbacks," Allyson said.
"It truly was a haunting scene, Ms. Grace. Ultimately, Doom is spreading his power too thin. He does not understand the true limits of the stones, and that will be his downfall. No matter what form of battle tomorrow brings, as long as I can rally at least four other sorcerers to my aid, I can contain the massive energies in the pocket dimension, and transfer the energy to Doom's gauntlet when the energy level is sufficient to overload it and release the stones from his grasp."
"How much energy we talkin', Doc?" I asked him.
"Three times what gauntlet can handle."
"Is that doable?"
Considering the size of Doom's army….yes, it's fairly doable."
"Speaking of that," Grant spoke up. "I think I got a way to get our guys in the fight. Doc, I take it you're familiar with a little joint called the Mirror Dimension?"
"Of course," Strange said. "Any self respecting sorcerer learns how to access the Mirror Dimension during the advanced portion of their training."
"Cool, so let's just do that. Put all our fighters in the Mirror Dimension, get them to New York, and when Doom starts cheating, we bust our boys out!"
"How do you know of the Mirror Dimension, Mr. Jackson?"
"Loki shoved me in there before he stabbed my friend in the back."
"Then as clever as your plan is, we cannot rely on the Mirror Dimension. Loki will have that guarded."
"Maybe not," I spoke up.
Strange looked at me.
"Oh?" he asked me, genuinely perplexed. "And why not Mr. Fuller?"
"Like Grant said, Loki stabbed me in the back. If there's one thing Loki's good at, it's killing. If he wanted me dead, i'd be dead. Yet here I am, with new freaky god powers, discussing the fate of the world with a wizard, what's left of an international spy organization, the king of Wakanda, and my equally freaky friends and teammates."
"Are you saying Loki's on our side?" Allyson asked.
"That would be a folly, Ms. Grace," Strange said. "The God of Mischief is always out for himself only. Still…"
Strange disappeared in another reality break, only to pop back again after a few seconds.
"No defenses, traps, or scouts," he said. "Doom is too focused on a victory he is prematurely celebrating, and Loki is too cunning to leave such a defensive hole unguarded if he truly was loyal to Doom. I am wary of playing into the trickster's hand, but it is a gamble we may have to take in order to gain the element of surprise on Doom. Any objections?"
"None from me," Fury said. "Just glad to have you back, Strange."
"I am also in favor of the plan," T'Challa said.
"Same," Hill said.
"I'll need help making that many suits for our fighters," Kennedy said. "But yes, I agree."
I looked over at Grant and Allyson.
"You know i'm all in, bro," Grant said. "Let's finish what we started. Just in time for Christmas too!"
"Same," Allyson said. "One problem, though. I kinda lost 90% of my solar energy thanks to that light sucking tramp. I dunno how much help i'm gonna be in the fight tomorrow, even if I spent the rest of the day sunbathing."
"Do not fret about that, Ms. Grace," Strange said. "The Master of the Mystic Arts will not see you sidelined when your companions need you most."
He summoned a smooth black stone shaped like an oval, and started to enchant it (cuz what we needed right now was another f*(#!^& magic rock).
"By the Seven Suns of Cinnibus!" he chanted seven times
With each chant, more fiery energy flooded into the stone. The heat was mad intense! I mean, it was literally 10 degrees out here (hate New York in the winter), and I felt like someone brought the Sahara Desert's heat right on top of me! After Strange was finished enchanting the stone, he gave it to Allyson.
"You have only felt the power of one sun from far away, girl," he said. "Try the power of seven coronas as if you were only an inch away. Not here please. I will prepare a pocket dimension for you to recharge your powers."
"Uhhhh…..wow," Allyson said, staring at her stone like it was the scariest thing she'd ever seen. "Thanks, Doctor."
"My pleasure, now where were we regrouping ag-"
Fury's phone started to buzz, and by the way he looked at the caller ID, it musta been someone important. He answered the call rather quickly.
"Fury!" a voice rang out amongst a background of other chatter. "Quiet, everyone, I need to understand the situation."
"Rogers?!" Fury asked. "That you?"
"Affirmative, sir. I'm about two hours from earth, heading inbound in the Melano with The Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers, Young Avengers, Runaways, Power Pack, and a couple of Novas. Anybody on the horn want to explain why there's a massive multi-colored, probably magic, comet heading towards earth?"
Grant was beside himself with giddiness, and everyone, save for Doctor Strange had this wave of calm wash over them. Captain America and The Avengers (and their amazing friends) were on the way. Even I couldn't pretend like I wasn't a little relieved.
"Just have Quill but her down at the West Coast Avengers facility," Fury said. "We'll catch you and the rest up on what's been up while y'all were away."
"We, sir?" Cap asked.
"Yup. It's bout to be a party, Cap, and everyone's invited."