Richard and Mary were currently on their private S.H.I.E.L.D. plane headed to the Hub with a small portable baby carrier that was bulletproof and designed to close at the sign of danger to their side.

This baby carrier was holding none other than their son, Peter Parker.

Richard is trying to hack into a secret server inside the Hub to locate the source of a message spreading through S.H.I.E.L.D.s servers.

"What could this code mean?" Mary asks as Peter started to fuss in his carrier.

"I think it's supposed to be an activation code." Richard says as Mary comforted their son.

"Wait. I think it cracked it." Richard says as part of the code comes through.

'Out — — — in— — light'

"It's just...what if they know?" Mary asks.

"Who know what?" Richard asks.

"What if these people know about his powers?" Mary explains to her husband as she picked up her son. "He's the first enhanced human since Captain America."

Richard offered her a smile and caressed his son's head to soothe him. Peter began to calm down when Mary smelled the present he left for his parents.

"Oh, someone needs changing. I'll be back." Mary says as she carries Peter to the bathroom.

Richard keeps trying to crack it and the pilot doors open and he steps out. Richard didn't take much notice when he then noticed he went for thr sink.

"Mr. Parker." He greets and starts washing his hands over the sink. Richard looks and sees something on his hands he sees and thinks it's blood. Richard starts getting suspicious. "No rest for the future, huh?"

"No, it would seem not, Rumlow." Richard says. "I don't really see why Fury assigned you to this."

"Well, he didn't." Rumlow explains as he turns in the sink. "So, what is it you're working on that's so secret?" He asks.

Richard looks and another part comes in "H— H-D-A" it says, still incomplete. "I'm just...planning ahead." He explains, disturbed. "You don't know what's gonna happen." He explains. So, you think I can radio the Hub and make sure they're prepared for our arrival?" He asks, getting up.

"Step ahead of you. Already done." Rumlow says.

"I think I'd like to make sure for myself." Richard says as Rumlow pulls out a gun.

"I think we both know that's not an option, Doctor." Rumlow says.

Richard looks back at the computer as the message comes clear. "Hail HYDRA" He looks back to Rumlow in shock. "You're HYDRA?" Richard asks. "HYDRA is still around?"

"Oh, don't worry, even the Director is clueless. We've been here since Rodgers tried beating us." Rumlow explains.

"Cut off one head, two more grow back." Richard understands.

"You know, they told me to kill you." Rumlow explains. "Then take whatever you have on us. But I can offer you a chance to see your son again. Garret wants to offer you a choice." Rumlow explains.

"A place in HYDRA?" Richard asks.

"All we want to know is what your son can do.

"I'd die before I let you turn him into a weapon for HYDRA." Richard promises him.

Rumlow looks sad. "Come on, Richard, think of your son." Rumlow says.

"I am. That's why I'm not joining." Richard tells him.

"I'm sorry to hear that." He says and walks towards the bathroom door and makes sure it's locked.

But before he could, the door opened and slammed Rumlow into the wall of the plane. Rumlow was only stumbled as he then aimed his gun at the woman, getting her to gasp and hold her son closer.

Richard worked quickly as he jumped up and grabbed Rumlow and struggled to get the gun out of his hand. Mary quickly grabbed the heaviest object, Richards's bulletproof briefcase, and tried to help while holding Peter.

Richard however didn't have much control over the situation as Rumlow fired rounds in every direction. One of them shot the pilot who was already dead, causing him to lean on the controls and send the plane falling. Rumlow slammed on the ceiling with Richard, getting him to fire point blank into his chest.

"Richard!" Mary cried in agony when she saw her husband get shot.

Rumlow then aimed his gun toward Mary, preparing to fire. But when he did, Mary raised the briefcase, causing the bullet to ricocheted off the briefcase. It caused the bullet to hit the glass window, causing air to be sucked out of the plane. The emergency door was immediately torn off, and Mary noticed a parachute sliding it's way along the rows.

Rumlow seemed to see she realized that was the only parachute and tried to shoot her once more. Despite the descent and wind, Mary quickly worked fast as she grabbed the parachute, dodging the bullets by finding cover. She cradled Peter in her arms as she placed the chute on.

Whatever happened next, she wasn't sure if this would work. But whatever happened next was better than whatever fate Rumlow had in store for her son. Whatever it was that was going on.

Mary braced herself as she leaped from the airplane, her heart pounding in her chest. Her eyes met Peter's, and she let out a scream of terror as the wind whistled past her ears. This was only her second time doing this, and she desperately hoped that she could rely on her training when it mattered most.

As she pulled on the parachute cord, she exerted every ounce of her strength, determined to ensure Peter's safety. Her breath caught in her throat as she witnessed the plane plummeting into the rugged mountainside below. Overwhelmed with emotion, she started to cry, and Peter, too, wept as he saw his mother's tears.

Even as they descended toward the ground, Mary knew that she couldn't afford to let her guard down. Uncertain of what lay ahead, she was aware that Rumlow was scheming to escape, and she suspected that someone was waiting for him. She couldn't be certain of her own landing spot, but she was driven by the knowledge that someone else would be waiting, wherever she ended up.

Mary landed and ditched her parachute the first chance she got as she ran for her life with Peter. She couldn't run forever, but she would run as far as it took to get a safe distance so nobody would find her. She couldn't trust anyone. She couldn't stop anywhere. Luckily during their running, Peter had drifted off to sleep, so she didn't need to worry about him making noise. But it wouldn't take long for the young boy to become hungry and would begin to cry again.

As Mary was roaming, she was starting to become weaker and tired of the journey. She panted and wished she could stop to rest, but that wasn't an option. The more distance between her and the crash sight, the better she and Peter will be. But as she was walking, she noticed standard S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles approaching, and at first she thought she was finally saved.

But then she remembered that Rumlow was an agent, and he attempted to kill them. Whatever she and Richard discovered was big, and she needed to keep her child safe. She ran off, guessing she might have been spotted by the vehicles as she ran off the path of the road and off into the forest.

As she was running, she took notice of the vehicles trying to follow, and a few people even ditched their vehicles to keep chasing after them. When Mary reached some sort of bamboo forest, she figured the dense forest would help her out and she ran to find a way around the other end.

As she ran, she ended up running into an open path which caused her to look and see several vehicles and agents swarming her. She looked down and saw Peter was beginning to whimper, and that was all she needed to see that they were not Agents. They were here with Rumlow.

"We've got her." An agent she didn't recognize said. "She has the boy. What are our orders?" He then seemed to receive his orders, scaring Peter even more. "Understood."

As the agents advanced on her, Mary felt a shiver of fear run down her spine, causing her to whimper involuntarily. All her efforts, all her struggles, and now it was going to end like this.

But then, as if in response to Mary's silent plea, the very forest around them seemed to come to life. Trees shifted and swayed, rearranging themselves with a purpose that both mesmerized and terrified those present. The once familiar path was now obstructed, and vehicles and agents alike were knocked aside by the furious dance of the woodland.

Seizing the opportunity presented by the chaos, Mary found the strength to flee, dodging the bullets that tore through the air around her. She ran with everything she had, her heart pounding in her ears as she pushed deeper into the dense, mysterious forest.

Time seemed to blur as she sprinted through the foliage, driven by fear and desperation. Her only thought was to put as much distance as possible between herself and the danger that pursued her. Eventually, she stumbled into a vast clearing, her eyes widening at the sight of a tranquil pond glistening in the sunlight.

Exhausted and uncertain, Mary's weary feet carried her slowly and cautiously to the water's edge. Her throat felt parched, and sweat glistened on her skin, pleading for respite from the oppressive heat. Despite her desperate thirst, Mary hesitated, her uncertainty weighing heavy on her mind. She questioned whether the water before her was safe to drink. This forest had already unveiled strange and uncanny phenomena, and she couldn't shake the feeling that the pond harbored its own set of mysterious secrets.

As she knelt down to splash water on her face, a sudden movement caught her eye. A figure emerged from the shadows, their presence casting an enigmatic aura. They donned a conical straw hat that added an air of mystique to their appearance. As the figure raised its head, Mary saw before her an Asian woman with flowing raven-black hair. A mask adorned the woman's face, depicting an animal's mouth, adding an eerie yet captivating element to her demeanor. The woman was adorned in an elegant yellow Asian-inspired dress, its fabric exuding an otherworldly quality that piqued Mary's curiosity.

"You are not welcome here." She said in...Mary wanted to say Mandarin. She wasn't fluent in many languages. That was Richard's specialty. "Leave. Now."

"Please.." Mary whispered in fear. She wasn't sure what the strange woman was saying but hoped she at least understood the situation. She then showed Peter who was beginning to whimper less, being further away from the Agents. "They're after us."

The mysterious figure in the mask was taken aback when she noticed that the woman who had stumbled upon the secret entrance to Ta Lo was accompanied by a young child. As she observed the distress on Mary's face, she became aware of the sound of guns cocking in the distance, indicating the approach of the rogue S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

As the agents advanced through the forest towards Mary and her son, the masked woman seemed to disappear from sight, leaving Mary feeling both vulnerable and alone. As she cradled her son close, she whispered words of reassurance, realizing that they were facing the agents without any backup.

Just as Mary braced herself for the impending confrontation, a sudden gust of wind swept through the area, causing several of the agents to stumble and fall. Looking around, Mary was astonished to see that the masked woman had reappeared and was skillfully manipulating the elements, using the wind to incapacitate the remaining agents.

Some of them used their guns to open fire, but she somehow managed to move them out of her pathway, passing right past her and into the woods. As she did so,

Overwhelmed by the events unfolding before her, Mary found herself succumbing to exhaustion and the shock of the situation, eventually losing consciousness. As she drifted into unconsciousness, she felt a sense of relief when the masked woman approached her with concern, recognizing the dire need for assistance.

The masked woman's attention then shifted to Mary's young son, who looked on with concern, highlighting the urgency of the situation. With a determined expression, the masked woman resolved to take action, knowing that she had to intervene to ensure the safety of the vulnerable mother and child.

Mary groaned as she started to awaken in what she had to say seemed to be some sort of hospital. She sat up and looked to see the woman she met who saved her from the agents standing over her bed. She reached up and removed her mask, revealing her mouth to Mary to speak clearly.

"I am Ying Li." She introduced herself. "I speak for the Elder Council of Ta Lo."

"Where?" Mary asked as she noticed someone missing. "Peter!" She then jumped, looking around. "Where is my son?"

"Not to worry." Ying Li quickly assured her. Then she looked over and saw her sister Ying Nan. "He is currently with my sister. We figured you could use the rest and heal. You seemed to have been through quite the journey to reach us."

"We...we were hunted," Mary whispered in worry. "They knew about our mission..." She then remembered what happened, and what became of her husband. "Richard..." She suddenly broke into tears. "He died...he died saving us."

Ying Li was surprised to hear her husband perished. "Those people. Who were they?"

"I...I don't know exactly." Mary admitted. "I thought they were just Agents. People I thought we could trust. But...they attacked us."

"Why?" Ying Li wonders, wanting as much information as she could to learn what went down.

"He is special. He... he has powers." Mary explained in sorrow. "Or at least he will. He is the next Captain America."

Ying Li was surprised to hear this. "And you ran."

"He is my son," Mary stated in determination. "I wanted to protect him. I wanted him to grow up normal. Have a normal life, and when the time came he could let him learn about his powers. Now..." She then started to wonder how far the conspiracy might go. She knew only a handful of people knew where they were going. Coulson, Nat, Fury, Hill, and that was mostly it. "Now I don't even know who to trust. I don't know who I can trust anymore. I can't run from them. They'll find us. Find a way."

Ying Li knew better than that. "Not here." She then looked upward where Mary watched as birds scorched in fire came flying overhead. "This is a world that exists outside of your world. A safe place."

Mary looked relieved to hear that, even though that raised several questions. "How did you do that back there? With the flowers?"

Ying Li chuckled as she stood up. "Rest. When you are better, we will explain everything to you..."