Arriving on the next landing, Peggy glanced down the corridor, intrigued. Being this far below in Atlantean antiquity, she wondered if the earthquake machine was somewhere around here. Alas, all she saw were closed, nondescript doors on either side of them.
Further ahead were two heavily armed guards stationed before a set of otherwise unremarkable doors. They had finally reached their destination.
The soldiers in blue armor snapped to attention when Namor approached, and one opened the door for the heir to the throne.
The mid-sized room contained two tall Greek-styled columns in its center. Looking to the right, Peggy then noticed a large control panel.
There was also sand all over the floor. She vaguely recalled falling onto it upon her arrival.
Having been unconscious at the time, this was all new to Peggy, but Howard's face lit up when he entered the chamber. He made a beeline to the control panel, and his fingers hovered over the silt-covered buttons and dials as he quickly examined it.
Suddenly, an older Atlantean male swept into the room with his young assistant in tow. Both quickly bowed formally to Namor.
The Atlantean Prince's response was a sort of a coughed name, "Longomancer, thank you for leaving your archives so quickly to come here."
"My pleasure, your majesty, and how may I be of service?" He sounded like a typical befuddled professor, and the humans shared a grin with one another.
Hands on hips, Namor declared, "I need you to send these surface-dwellers back home."
The older man's bushy eyebrows sprang upwards, and he asked, "You want me to use the old transporter?"
Namor nodded regally, and Longomancer stared at him in shock. A curt noise from the Prince seemed to startle the older man into action.
Dramatically clapping his hands together in a show of eagerness, the older man stated, "Whatever you wish, my Prince. Just give me a moment to familiarize myself with the controls, and then off they go."
Peggy would have found this exchange endearing, but for the Longomancer's added caveat, "I say, it will be most interesting to see if this still works after being dormant for so long."
Startled, Peggy stated quickly, "But we came in this way—"
As Howard was nudged out of the way, Longomancer noted absently, "Quite, quite, but that was incoming, which I had nothing to do with. Now, as for leaving—" his befuddled shrug ended the sentence.
Registering the concerned looks exchanged between his human guests, Namor loudly cleared his throat. The warning noise caused Longomancer to stop his mutterings and say, "Oh, yes, I see." He then added a bit too enthusiastically, "It will be fine, I promise. Since your unexpected arrival, I have been studying the archives intensely. I think I know how to operate this machine now."
Peggy mumbled, "But does it have to be so painful as the last time?"
Distracted, Longomancer answered, "I believe that was due not only to the distance traveled but traversing through the fiery inner area of the world."
As the older Atlantean continued to study the controls, Namor gestured at the breathing masks that the humans wore. "I am afraid you cannot take those with you."
Howard's mustache actually drooped at the thought of not having one to study.
Namor smirked at the inventor's expression but became firm, "It goes without saying that what you saw here must not be divulged to your people."
With Dmitri by her side, Peggy answered Namor's decree with one of her own, "And you must understand that we have to tell our leaders what we have seen. I promise that it will go no further than just a few people."
Dmitri nodded, "Yes, we cannot keep certain things from our governments."
Namor glowered but acquiesced. "Fine surface-dwellers, but no one else must know about our advanced technology than that."
"Yes, agreed." Peggy added, "So I will see you soon."
The Prince waved his hand dismissively, "Yes, yes. By using the ocean currents, it should not take me too long. Regardless, I am a fast swimmer."
Peggy smiled, "Then look for the giant green metal woman holding a torch. This is located in New York's harbor, understood?"
Namor nodded, only half-listening.
Great, with her luck, he would end up in the Bronx. At least the Statue of Liberty was a landmark surrounded by water, so he should not miss it.
She further explained, "To get there, you must head North and West."
The Prince looked at her oddly.
Howard jumped in, "Head up toward the warmer waters, aiming for the colder area further above. When the water begins to cool again, aim toward the sinking sun, err bright orb."
Namor nodded, intrigued, "Ah, so I will be traveling up the Great Spine for a while. This could be interesting. I have always wanted to see my ancestral home."
"Once you arrive in chillier waters, you might have to hug our coastline for a bit, but you can't miss Lady Liberty," Howard said wistfully, no doubt missing home as much as they all did.
Now, as for his arrival time, Peggy asked, "So when should I expect you? Perhaps in a week or two?"
Annoyed, he frowned at her, "What is a week? Regardless, I have things to do first before I go. Expect me when the dull sphere above is full on its second turn."
It took her a moment, but then she breathed, "Ah, you mean the moon. So you'll be there in two months."
Namor stared at her as if she was a dolt.
Clenching her teeth from exasperation, Peggy swallowed a few choice words. She was tempted to ask him if it would be during the day or at night but feared pushing her luck as well as her temper.
The irony had not left her that, yet again she would be on a stakeout as she waited for him to arrive. Thankfully, it should be pretty easy to spot a man with wings on his feet and wearing a snazzy green-scaled Speedo. Still, she did not envy sitting in a car in the middle of the freezing cold November.
With their rendezvous somewhat settled, Namor aimed a commanding look at Longomancer's assistant. The young lad scurried to the flat panel by the door. After pushing a few buttons, there was the sound of a vacuum, and the water quickly lowered. In moments, Peggy's ears popped, and she watched as the water continued draining out of the few openings along the bottom of the room's walls.
Finally, Peggy's feet rested on the sandy floor. Without the support of the water, her legs protested.
Around her, Howard stomped his boots, trying to clear the majority of the water out. Jarvis rang the salty liquid from his ruined suit, and the Russians stretched, just as vitalized as ever. Peggy secretly glowered at them and hoped she wasn't getting too old for this sort of adventure.
As she slowly massaged her calf muscles, Peggy looked over worriedly at the two Atlanteans by the control panel. Neither seemed too affected by the lack of seawater to breathe. From a strategic point of view, she was curious about how long they could survive outside the water. Alas, she knew that if she asked, Namor would just reply with one of his patented stony stares.
With all the water gone, the Atlantean Prince motioned for the humans to remove their masks.
Tentatively they did so, and Peggy nearly choked on the stale air that greeted her lungs. As she coughed, she had to remind herself that at least it was breathable. She then studied the shrinking tentacle mask that looked up to her as it rested in her palms. In moments its triangle-shaped crest was back to normal size.
She felt she should say something grand to this little lifesaving creature, but all she could say was a grateful, "Thank you."
Its eyes blinked up at her innocently. Though it had kept her alive, she did not think she would miss the claustrophobia she had felt while being in its timid grasp.
The others seemed just as relieved as she was to no longer be using this odd breathing apparatus, except for Howard, who continued to pout. They all handed their creatures to the Prince. Soon these odd Cephalopods had crawled about to rest on Namor's muscular physique, almost making him appear as an ornate Christmas tree.
Longomancer's voice was stern and worldly when he ordered the humans, "Please step toward the center of the two columns."
Fascinated, Howard went back to the control panel, but the older Atlantean scolded, "I have this, young hu-man."
Howard protested, "Yeah, but—"
As Peggy pulled him back to their small group, she chided nervously, "Best not to distract him, Howard." Judging the amount of times things backfired when the inventor's curiosity got involved, it was best to keep him at bay.
After the assistant cautiously wiped away more of the murky green residue from the console's panel, Longomancer pressed some buttons which lit up the system. The lights on the main panel flickered and then dimmed. He smacked it a few times until it solidified and then brightened. Pleased, he grinned at the humans.
Behind them, the two Greek columns began to hum and glow.
Peggy eyed them worriedly while Howard studied the pillars in wonderment.
Namor told Peggy, "I will meet you by the green lady soon, do not be late." It was not a request, just a statement of fact. But Peggy didn't care. Though arrogant and rude, he was still one of the strongest being she had ever met. She would make sure not to push him if it meant that his presence would help keep the SSR in business.
And if she got the approval from the Colonel, Peggy would form a team of unique individuals. Besides asking Namor, she would talk to Phineas Horton about bringing the Synthetic Man and his young protégé Toro into the fold. Plus, a few other super beings might be interested in joining this new special ops group.
Regardless of whether her dreams came to fruition, it would certainly be a feather in the SSRs cap that they snagged Prince Namor instead of the CIA.
The older Atlantean operating the console snapped Peggy out of her daydream when he stated, "Just step between the columns, and you should be sent home."
He sounded almost hesitant.
Though Peggy nodded in understanding, she was still apprehensive as to how it all worked. "Um, when was the last time this machine had been used again?"
Longomancer exchanged a glance with Namor, and then he cleared his throat, "Not to worry, our ancestors used them to get where they needed to go all the time."
"If they used these," Peggy protested, "won't it drop us into a giant body of water?"
Longomancer's voice was indignant, "I think I know what I am doing, surface-dweller."
It was Howard's turn to chastise Peggy, "Pal, don't antagonize our ride. Besides, you can swim."
Hesitant, Peggy crept closer but stopped just at the entrance between the glowing columns. Howard and Jarvis were soon bracketing her with the Russians right behind them.
A thick mist had begun to drift out from between the two columns. Peggy tried to look through the haze to see land, snow, anything, but only the fog was there. Not even any sounds could be heard from the other side.
"Come on, Peg, you're holding up the line," Howard needled her, but still, she would not budge.
"It will be fine, hu-man," the older Atlantean tried to reassure her.
Namor was frustrated and snapped, "You asked me to trust you. Now you need to do the same."
Still too wary about what awaited them, Peggy missed the look that all her friends exchanged. There was only one way to get their stubborn leader to move, and that was teamwork.
Before Peggy could retort, all four of them shoved her between the columns, and she was instantly gone. Grinning, Howard and Jarvis turned to let the Russians pass. After Dmitri and Zdenka had nodded to Namor, they then went through next.
Howard then indicated for Jarvis to follow them. After a jaunty wave to all those present in the room, the butler did so. Being the last one, Howard did a last look of amazement at all that surrounded him, and then he entered behind his friends.
Once they had all departed, Namor smirked. He thought he was rather going to enjoy his new Ambassadorial duties. The promise of this new world out there appealed to him greatly. Plus, he would get to know those he was half-related to. Maybe he would finally be accepted for who he was.
Once water quickly refilled the room, Namor did a cordial nod to Longomancer. When he left the transport chamber, there was a slight bob to his swim as he headed back to see his royal family.
In moments Peggy passed through the thick mist and arrived into the bright sunlight. Unlike the last time, she did not feel as if she had been ripped apart and put back together again.
Eyes still closed, she took a deep lungful of clean air. Slowly she opened her eyes and stared, astonished at their serene surroundings.
Seconds later, her friends soon came through as well.
The last one out, Howard stepped from between the humming pillars. Instantly, the columns became silent. As they ceased glowing, the mist quickly dissipated.
Howard turned to look behind him, but the opening had already disappeared. All he could see was an idyllic hilly countryside between the pillars. He was still glancing back in amazement as he walked forward.
Suddenly, he bumped into Peggy, who had yet to move. Everyone had joined her in stunned silence. They all stood on a large circular marble pad. In front of them was the sheer face of a tall mountain.
Broken from her daze, Peggy glared at Howard. "Thanks for the push," she growled.
"Anytime, pal," he deadpanned. The cheeky grin on his face made Peggy roll her eyes.
Shaking her head to dispel her exasperation, she walked off the pedestal that only had three intact columns still standing on it. The tall pillars showed signs of damage at the top, but thankfully they still worked well enough to transport them here. Or maybe they hadn't. Peggy still had no idea where they were, but at least it wasn't in the middle of the ocean or snowdrifts.
Instead, birds chirped merrily around them, and the sun felt wonderful upon her face. Peggy took another inhale of fresh air and marveled that it had never felt so good to be able to breathe normally again.
After exhaling, she muttered, "So where are we now?"
Zdenka studied their surroundings and then laughed, "This is the Oracle of Delphi in Athens. So fitting." She and Dmitri stood side by side, arms hugging the other's waist.
Never one to give up the chance to teach, she continued, "Many would come here to ask the Greek God Apollo a question. Supposedly a priestess would inhale fumes, steam, or a mist to get the answers."
She rubbed her chin in contemplation, "From what we have just been told, the Greeks must have been really communicating with the once friendly Atlanteans." She added, "The earlier ones who didn't want to kill all of us, that is.The human Oracle must have mistakenly believed the words were from their Gods instead."
Frowning, Dmitri looked around, "I thought they only did so by a water source?"
Shrugging, Zdenka replied, "Well, steam is the mixture of heat and water, so perhaps it comes from the multiple underground streams. Also, the Castalian spring is nearby."
Peggy shook her head in confusion, "But why were we sent here?"
Zdenka smiled, "It is said that Zeus deemed this to be the center of the world, and since the Atlanteans were the Greek Gods, then it makes sense we'd be sent to this place. It is all so fascinating."
Jarvis mumbled, "Well, I am just grateful we are not in the snow."
Howard nodded emphatically, "Yeah, it certainly beats landing underwater or in the freezing elements." He jerked his thumb back at the columns, "Without a control panel on this side, maybe this is only for a one-way signal. That would match up with what Dr. Z said about it being used solely for communication purposes."
"I just hope Namor doesn't get lost along the way," Peggy muttered. She cast her eyes heavenwards, silently praying that the Prince wouldn't end up in their enemies' hands by mistake. Besides that dangerous implication, she did not wish to face his royal grandparents' wrath.
"Don't worry, Peg, I gave him good directions," Howard reassured her.
Dmitri chuckled, "Yes, or maybe he will ask a fish for directions." As he laughed, Zdenka poked his ribs with her finger. Grinning, he pulled her closer and kissed her forehead.
They instantly hushed when they heard the sound of approaching voices. Thankfully the popular tourist spot had been relatively quiet. But now, a few sightseers slowly headed over. All gaped at this group that was still mysteriously drenched.
Some tourists snapped out of surprise and took pictures of them. Peggy did her best to ignore the camera clicks as the flabbergasted crowd surrounded them.
When an overweight man in Bermuda shorts and an oversized Hawaiian shirt raised his hand to ask her a question, Peggy's steely gaze had him quickly lowering it back down.
As their soaking wet clothes began to dry in the warm air, the salty residue made Peggy's skin itch. While she scratched her scalp, she glared at the tourists. All of them quickly took an involuntary step backward.
"Where to now, Peg," Howard asked jovially.
She really didn't know where Howard got his stamina. Exhausted and sore from head to toe, she stated determinedly to her group, "Alight, I say we find the nearest hotel, check in, and I take a nice long bath. Then we sleep for days."
"I like your idea, pal," Howard drawled and then gulped when her dark piercing eyes focused on him. Hurriedly, he amended, "Um, the hotel part. And as long as it has a 24-hour bar, I'm all set."
Peggy started to chuckle but then swallowed it when she heard another camera click.
Sighing to the heavens, Peggy knew that Colonel Phillips would not be amused by the photographic evidence of their unexpected arrival. How was she ever going to explain this one to the ex-Army Officer? She hadn't the foggiest idea.
After a hearty exhale, she removed her broken sunglasses from her shirt pocket and placed them on her nose. She ignored how they hung crooked to one side. Doing her best to make it all look as if their sudden appearance was intentional, she then led her bedraggled and soggy team toward what she hoped was the parking lot.
If she thought that the Atlanteans or even Zemo and his robotic pests were dangerous, being dressed down by the Colonel would make this entire adventure seem like a walk in the park.
Pursing her lips, Peggy carried on.
It turned out that all their hard work and trouble had been for naught. Finally, after sleeping for nearly a day, Peggy roused herself awake enough to contact the Colonel. Still half asleep, she mumbled, "Hello, sir. I am calling to check in."
"Glad you're alive, Carter. You had us worried there for a moment. I trust everything went well."
Smiling, she said, "Yes, Colonel, our mission to stop Hydra was a success. We should not be hearing from Baron Zemo for quite some time."
"Zemo, huh? Good job, Agent." Then in his usual gruff manner, he got right to it, "Before you continue, let me start with my news first. The US government decided to go in a different direction concerning the intelligence community. As a result, the SSR will be permanently disbanded by the end of the year. Until then, we are to close all our remaining offices."
Suddenly alert, a shocked Peggy blurted, "But sir, we have always been at the forefront in preventing attacks against the US. There has to be something we can do. Besides the news of Hydra, there is—" She was about to tell him of Namor when he interrupted her.
Irritably he snapped, "Don't you think I tried everything to keep us solvent? Nothing worked. It seems that they had already signed off on us months ago. Even if you had brought back the Treasure of the Ages, it wouldn't get these damn politicians to change their minds."
"Sorry, Sir, I meant no disrespect. I am sure you did all you could," she replied quickly, her mind whirling at all these unexpected changes.
The Colonel's voice softened somewhat, "Carter, you know it was only a matter of time. Many young bucks think that we are outdated." He sighed tiredly, "Maybe it was just as well. I am done dealing with sniveling politicians anyway. But don't worry. I know someone of your caliber and expertise will find a job eventually. I heard multiple intelligence agencies have shown an interest in you, including the CIA."
"Like bloody unlikely," she spat and then forced herself to calm down. Quickly she amended, "Sorry about that, Sir."
The Colonel easily tempered any rebuke and stated, "I understand, Carter. I suggest you take some time off, and then later, we can discuss your options. Now was there something else you wanted to report?"
"Actually, Colonel, it can wait with the news you just told me. And frankly, I don't know how secure this line is." She sighed loudly, "I guess in lieu of this latest development, I will take an additional week or two off to visit family. Honestly, I need a vacation." Thankfully, she still had almost two months until Namor arrived.
She added, "A nice sedate train ride is just what I need to recharge before I face my mother. But sir, when I return to the US, I have a few ideas on how to proceed now that the SSR will be dissolved."
"Understood, Agent," the Colonel actually sounded as if he had perked up a bit. "See you in a few weeks."
"Thank you, sir," and she heard the phone suspiciously click just before the Colonel hung up. Pursing her lips, she was glad she had held back information regarding Prince Namor.
Suddenly beyond weary, Peggy mentally promised to call Daniel later. Together they could commiserate about their soon-to-be lack of a job.
Falling back onto the bed, multiple ideas swirled about her current predicament. As the scattered bits of plans and various concepts started to congeal, she wondered if this new crazy scheme of hers would work.
First things first, with the SSR about to be disbanded, perhaps it was time to create a new clandestine agency. One that would never have any interference from the CIA or any minor political stooge ever again. Though it would be tricky to start up, she knew that Howard would gladly jump on board. And with his help and the Colonel's influence, it had a better chance of getting off the ground than if she did it alone.
Hell, with the three of them as co-founders, she knew that it would work.
She wondered if the Colonel would want to run this new organization. But from today's phone call, it almost sounded as if he would prefer to stay on the periphery as a consultant instead.
And if that were the case, then that would mean it would fall to her. Unfortunately, if she took this leadership position, gone were the days of being out in the thick of it.
Shaking her head, Peggy realized that maybe that wasn't such a horrible prospect at all. After what she had just been through with this mission, the thought no longer bothered her as much as it earlier did.
She snorted at how much her mindset had been altered in such a short period of time. But during this adventure, she faced horrific death multiple times. And as the subtle aches from this excursion reminded her, she wasn't getting any younger. Besides, was it really such a surprise to want stability in some shape or form?
Perhaps she could give up fieldwork, or at least most of it anyway, she thought with a rueful smile.
Peggy briefly thought of maybe being co-directors with Daniel. But then she quickly realized that it would never work. True, he was an amazing agent with a great work ethic, but they both had different leadership styles. Trying to get governmental approval for this new agency would be hard enough without the two of them constantly butting heads on how it should be done.
No, she figured Howard would be the better choice in sharing the role with her. He would happily leave her alone to run the administrative side while he headed up the new Technological Development Division.
Maybe he would even get that flying command transport he wanted so badly off the ground.
Peggy was certain that this new agency would thrive with the two of them at the helm. And she already had a wish list of recruits she wanted in it. Of course, Daniel, and then there was Rose, Thompson, and Ramirez. All have proven what exemplary agents they were.
Plus, she could also incorporate her earlier idea of inviting special individuals to join this new clandestine group.
Looking back, Steve Rogers had been her first revelation that superbeings were possible. Then over the years, she had read multiple classified documents regarding others with unique abilities.
Usually, they were the ones who did not conform to societal beliefs. Termed mutants, these people were mostly shunned because they looked different or had amazing attributes that set them apart.
Even Steve had mentioned how much he felt like an outsider after becoming Captain America. And this was coming from a skinny, loner Brooklyn kid who constantly got into fights and had only one true friend.
But Steve confided to her that life was very difficult for him in many ways after he had been changed. He constantly had to watch his strength so he did not unintentionally destroy things or hurt others.
However, in his case, he still looked human.
For those who did not appear normal, Peggy's heart went out to them. She had heard of one child being born blue or others developing horns and a tail. Then there were those who looked human but were vastly superior to all.
She had read a file on a kid who could twist metal by sheer willpower alone. Then there was another who could read minds, and so on. There were already many out there, with more being born daily throughout the world.
It seemed that a new age of humanity was dawning right before her very eyes. So it was either accept them or fight them. Frankly, she had seen so much needless death throughout her life she preferred a more peaceful co-existence. Besides, maybe if both sides worked together for the betterment of all, there would be more tolerance in the world.
To a much smaller extent, she understood the prejudice of being treated unfairly by society. Though not a mutant, she was still a female in a male-dominated world. Granted, she was not ostracized as those with more physical appearing abnormalities, but she could still relate somewhat to what they were going through.
Because of this, Peggy vowed that she would never turn away any who wanted to stop the threats against the world as much as she did. Be it a man, woman, or mutant. They would be accepted into the fold if they were not malevolent.
And regardless of appearance or power, all would be treated equally in her agency. There would be no discrimination allowed on her watch.
Satisfied, Peggy realized she was too invigorated to fall back asleep.
Since it was late afternoon, she figured Howard was most likely up. It was time to track him down and see what was going on. Peggy did not want to stay in Athens longer than she had to. Though a beautiful city, too much needed to be done before her small group of compatriots went their separate ways.
Peggy smirked when she thought that it would actually be good to see her mother again after all.
Determined, she lurched to her feet and staggered over to the closest. But first, she needed some new clothes. And a new hat.
End Note – I briefly allude to Peggy wanting to start her own superpowers group, but it would not be the Avengers. Prior to its formation was a group called the Invaders (as well as the All-Winners Squad). Though both mainly fought during WWII, I believe they did post-war missions as well. Also, most had the same team members