Future Foundation 2 : Family Matters

by What If Universe

It's been 2 years since the singularity and things are going well for Peter and his team. Everyone is happy and content but little did Peter know that it was only the beginning of something much larger. Peter and his team will now have to defend the world and even the universe from threats even more powerful than before because if they fail everything they love will be destroyed.

8. More to the world than you ever knew

Following the shocking discovery that Constantine was aware of a master sorcerer, just a day after their confrontation with Dr. Doom, the very individual responsible for abducting Inhumans, Metahumans, and Sorcerers, including some under their protection, they faced a grim reality. Despite their collective strength, Dr. Doom's formidable combination of magic and technology rendered him an insurmountable adversary, far beyond their reach.

Constantine was scribbling some symbols into the roof of their building where they had a giant '4' plastered on the landing pad. He said it was best they did this outside, as he didn't know what would happen when this was completed.

"So, can't you just call this Dr. Fate?" Cisco asks. "Do you know how much it costs for us to paint this roof?"

"Do you?" Peter wonders. "I told you that it was kinda unnecessary."

"And ridiculous," Susan commented. "But to the problem at hand... how do we get him here?"

"Well, I guess you would call this a...mystical phone call of sorts," Constantine explained the best he could. "This symbol is an ankh. It's Fate's preferred symbol. Lord knows why. These small symbols are all summoning symbols I have practiced and learned."

"So, how are we going to be sure it works?" Peter asks. "We are riding a lot on this guy. Are we sure he is going to be enough to stand up to Victor?"

"Is that what we're calling him now?" Bette asks. "Victor. Victor. It sounds less... I don't really know, it just makes him sound less like a threat."

"Well, he won't be for long. I'd stand back. This spell has a bit of a kick." Constantine said as he then started to enchant the spell. "ànimes molt més enllà del regne mortal, busco ajuda per buscar el Senyor de l'Ordre." His eyes began to glow orange as his hands lit into flames. "Nabu, Senyor de l'Ordre i el Caos. Et convoco aquí." Then the symbol that he sketched on the roof began to glow. Everyone stood back and saw that some sort of transparent ankh appeared and began glowing. "Nabu!" Constantine cried out as he was using all of his energy. "Reveal yourself!"

As they observed, the ankh symbol intensified in brightness, causing the team to avert their gazes. The radiance was so intense that it attracted the attention of passersby, prompting them to look up at the Future Foundation building. A gust of wind began to rise, sweeping up dust and debris from the streets, obscuring the view for anyone below.

While they witnessed the symbol glowing intensely, it suddenly disappeared as if it had never been there. The dust settled, and life resumed as if nothing had occurred. The team squinted as they adjusted to the light and realized that the ankh symbol had vanished. Even the markings Constantine had hastily scrawled on the roof were no longer there. Constantine gasped for breath as he sank to his knees, visibly drained after expending so much of his energy on the spell.

"So, did it work?" Cisco asks.

"I don't think so, Cisco," Peter comments. "There doesn't seem to be much difference."

"Ah, that slimy bugger," Constantine sighed. "Nothing is ever easy with him."

"John Constantine." A booming voice called. That almost caused everyone to freeze from fear. They then turned around to see there was someone floating above their building. "You better have a reason for summoning the Lord of Order."

The uniform consists of a golden helmet that covers the entirety of the host's head, excluding the ears and, occasionally hair, if it should be long enough. He wears a long, blue cape, fastened with two large buttons. Beneath is a blue shirt with a golden oval set in the chest. He also dons a large golden belt with a circle in the center, and deep blue pants with golden boots.

"Oh, Nabu, looks like it worked," John said with relief. "Actually, I was hoping to have a chat with Nelson. You do let that bugger out of your head for a spin every once in a while, don't ya?"

"And why would I care about that?" Fate asks.

"Because we might need you," Constantine stated. "And you might owe us one for not intervening back with that portal in the sky."

"Who do you think kept that singularity at bay?" Fate asks, revealing he was there during the battle against Reed. But he seemed to calm down and sighed. "If you are desperate enough to summon me, you must have a reason. I will grant you a chance to plead your case to Nelson... if you have summoned me to waste time..."

"A fate worse than death," Constantine said sarcastically. "Blah, blah, you gonna let him out or not?"

Fate then seemed to have almost vanished from sight before some old man appeared on the roof holding the helmet in his hands. "Sorry about that. Nabu is cranky when he is woken from his nap." He then looked towards John. "Well, John Constantine." He said with a chuckle. "Never thought I would see you come for help. And joining a team no less. Kent Nelson, at your service."

"Ha!" Johnny scoffed. "This guy is the great sorcerer? He looks old enough to-"

Kent then flicked his hand and Johnny was frozen in place. "Now... what seems to be the problem?"

---

On the outskirts of Central City, a sleek spaceship descended from the sky, its metallic exterior gleaming in the sunlight. The hatch slowly opened, revealing a towering figure that resembled a majestic white tiger walking on two powerful hind legs. Stepping out of the spacecraft, the imposing figure was accompanied by a formidable entourage of Chitauri, a group of ruthless mercenary aliens. With a sense of purpose, the towering being withdrew a small, sophisticated tracker from his attire. As he scrutinized the device, his keen eyes honed in on a distant blip, triggering a low growl of determination. This formidable being was none other than Titus.

"The Guardians are here," Titus snarled.

---

Kent was escorted into the nerve center of their operations, taking in the surroundings with a discerning eye. He appeared to be impressed, yet his expression hinted at a trace of indifference. Franklin and Valeria were present too, observing Kent as he set the helmet aside.

"Hello there." Kent greeted as he kneeled to the children.

"Who are you?" Valeria asks.

"They call me Dr. Fate," Kent announced as he reached for the helmet. "I am a sorcerer. One of the most powerful."

"What can you do?" Franklin asks.

Kent glanced around and noticed their toys scattered across the room. Seizing the moment to demonstrate his abilities, he focused his attention on their toy rocket ship, which miraculously came to life and zipped through the air. Valeria watched in wonder as Kent wielded his magic, animating Val's stuffed animals. Her elephant trumpeted joyfully before meandering about. Next, their model airplane took flight, circling the room as if soaring through the sky.

"Whoa," Val said in shock.

"You are so much cooler than Constantine," Franklin stated.

That was when Quill and Gamora entered the room and needed to dodge the plane before it could hit him. "Who's the new guy?" He asked. "We rent a new wizard?"

"Nope, this is Dr. Fate," Peter said as he and the others returned to the labs. "He's here to help us."

"If Fate deems it worthy." Kent corrected him as he placed the helmet down. "Fate is stubborn when dealing with mortals of man. He will intervene and stop me if he deems that I am not allowed to intervene. But if I am able to assist, I will help." He then stepped forward. "Who is this monster that even got the great John Constantine scared?"

"His name... is Victor Von Doom," Peter said, seeing the eye Cisco gave him. "I am not calling him Werner."

"Good." Cisco scoffed. "Doom fits better after everything."

"He's been kidnapping sorcerers, Metahumans, Inhumans, all to fuel the Adaptoids he has been sending after us," Caitlin explained to Kent.

"Why is that?" Kent wonders.

"He blames me for an incident that caused him to scar his face," Peter explained to Kent. "We were college roommates, he was working on a dangerous experiment, and he ended up getting scarred across his whole face. I haven't heard from him since. Until last night. He nearly killed us."

"One man managed to do all of this?" Kent asked with worry in his voice. "I see why you called upon the likes of Fate."

"So, wait, are you Fate, or is the Helmet?" Ben wanted to make it clear. "Because I am not sure I understand how this works."

"I am the chosen wearer of the Helmet," Kent explained. "Nabu's powers are contained within the helmet. I can access the helmet's powers, and use it for my own, but it comes from the knowledge of Nabu. I am Dr. Fate. Agent of the Lords of Order."

"Yeah, he's powerful, but comes with a lot of bloomy paperwork," Constantine stated as he lit a cigarette. "Overseers for his overseers."

But before he could light it, Kent waved his hand on the Helmet of Fate and the cigarette vanished. "Not in front of the children, please." He got a nasty look from Constantine. "Bad for their lungs." He then sighed and turned back to them. "So, where are you on finding this Dr. Doom?"

"Nowhere," Peter sighed. "Like I said, I don't know where Victor went since college. I haven't thought about him in years. He could be anywhere."

"That's why we called you," Susan explained. "Please. We could use your help finding and stopping. You said Fate is an agent of order, well Victor wants to spread chaos. He will keep coming after us Adaptoid after Adaptoid, and after last night, we don't know if we can hold him back ourselves. We need you... please."

Kent saw the eyes of the worried mother and knew that this Doom had scared them enough to come chasing after a myth like Dr. Fate to try and save them. He closed his eyes and seemed to have a mental communication with Nabu. "It seems Fate agrees with your words. This Dr. Doom seems to be focused on raining chaos. I will help. Nabu will observe."

Then one of their computer alerts went off. "Uh, did we have an alarm set for something to do with shipping containers from Wakanda?" Cisco asks.

"Oh, that was me!" Caitlin said as she ran over to the computers. "I set that up since it seems Victor is attacking their shipments."

"Why?" Peter wonders.

"Barry theorized he is after some metal that was some sort of myth," Caitlin said as she searched the ping. "Another ship has left from Wakanda."

"How long?" Peter asks.

"The last few minutes," Caitlin answered.

"Suit up," Peter tells them all.

---

As the FantastiCar soared above the vast ocean, its sleek design cutting through the air, its occupants anxiously anticipated their arrival at the site of the recent ship leaving Wakanda shores. Fate was flying aside them, making his way towards the shipment with the crew. Their hope was that by getting closer to the scene, they would uncover the mystery behind the bizarre occurrences. It was difficult for them to believe that Victor was somehow involved in the theft of a metal that had no place on the periodic table. The Guardians hung back just in case something went down while they were away.

Vibranium, a material shrouded in legend, had its origins in the tales spun during World War II. Whispers of a formidable man capable of single-handedly confronting entire battalions with nothing more than an indestructible shield crafted from this mysterious substance had circulated for years. However, no concrete evidence of Vibranium's existence had ever surfaced, and no verifiable records attested to its reality.

"Okay, how are we going to do this?" Susan asks.

"We're going to take a look before getting in close," Peter said as his screens pulled up a video of the ship. "Ah, there we are. Doombots," he said as he showed the signatures of the robots were appearing on their screens. "Looks like Caity was right. Victor is involved in this. But why do they look... different? These guys look a bit more...robotic."

"Maybe Doom was running out of parts?" Ben asked.

"Not likely. I have a feeling these guys are made for a different purpose than the ones we've been dealing with." Peter guessed.

"Who's in charge? I'm seeing a lot of men with guns." Susan commented.

Peter did another quick scan of the boat and found someone. "Oh, another score for Cait. We've got someone. Ulysses Klaue." Then he got a lot of heat signals down below. "Oh, we've got hostages down below."

"So, an entire boat of Doombots, a known weapons dealer, and a ship from Wakanda," Susan commented. "Are we sure Vibranium is a myth?"

"Let's find out," Fate said, disappearing from sight. "I'll rescue the hostages. You must take command of the upper deck."

"Uh, did anyone else hear that voice in their head?" Johnny asks.

"Just this once, Johnny, do what the voices tell you," Peter said as he readied to drop.

"Since when was he calling the shots?" Constantine asks.

"Alright, prepare to eject. Ben, you might wanna be careful. That container ship can take your weight but not from falling at this height."

"Falling?" Constantine asks.

Peter hit the button and the floor below their seats vanished. They then all fell from the skies and everyone let out a shriek as they made their way down. Constantine steadied himself while Susan created a forcefield for her and the non-flying members.

"Uh, did Pete grab a parachute?" Susan wonders.

Peter was still free-falling. He dived down as fast as he could and when he got close enough, he tried one of Cisco's newest advances to his suit: web-wings. He glided his way over and slammed himself against the side of the ship. He clutched to the side using his powers and climbed his way up. He peaked his head up and saw the robots on the roof.

"Kent?" Peter whispered. "How are things down below?"

Kent appeared in the middle of the cargo containers where he saw the hostages. "Hostages are alive. But if what you have shown me is any indication, that could change at any moment."

"Well, how does Fate feel about fighting a few robots?" Peter wonders.

"I wouldn't want to do that yet," Kent says. "I'll wait for you to make some noise. Then make my move."

Peter sighed as he heard that and smacked his head against the ship. "Constantine was right."

Susan and the others then landed on the boat, using her powers to keep them invisible using her forcefield. One Doombot felt something off when the weight of the ship creaked underneath the weight of Ben.

Approaching the area where Susan had her forcefield up, Constantine quickly summoned a portal using a spell that the robot fell into and vanished from sight before it could alarm anyone. Peter then grabbed the man closest to him and yanked him over the ledge of the boat. When he shrieked, Peter webbed him up to keep him quiet.

Susan dropped the forcefield and the team scattered. As they were wandering the boat, they missed there was someone else who appeared on board hiding on top of the shipping container. He was wearing a skin-tight, full-body black suit that was designed to resemble a feline creature, complete with sharp, deadly-looking claws. But the strangest part was the fabric of the suit, it seemed to be made of something never seen before...

Susan snuck her way into the control center of the ship where she saw a group of Doombots controlling the ship. She quickly threw a forcefield at the one steering the ship, causing it to then fall and the others aimed where the forcefield came from. But Susan had already moved from that spot and then put her fist into the middle of the Doombot and conjured a forcefield inside of it. She then expanded the forcefield, causing the robot to explode from the inside out.

"I've got the control center," Susan called. "Ben, how are you on deck?"

Ben just slammed the last Doombot into the ground and stomped on its head, crushing the machine. "Yeah. We're clear up here, Susie."

"Team, heading downstairs, how do we look?" Peter asked as he made his way down, following where his systems say where Klaue is.

In one of the larger halls, a bunch of men were laughing and messing around. That was when Johnny entered the room. "Hi." He greeted casually. "Have you met my friend?"

Constantine then entered from the other side of the room and grabbed onto the walls. While they were reaching for their guns, Constantine began to chant. "Flammas inferni consumant te."

The room then becomes incredibly hot, and so do their weapons. The men screamed in fear and pain as Johnny and Constantine exited the room before the heat merged them.

"Dude, that was so cool!" Jonny said as they headed downstairs. "They will live, right?"

"Most of them," Constantine shrugged.

They made their way downstairs where everyone else was waiting for them. "We good?" Peter asks.

"We should be," Susan said. "Kent?"

---

Kent conjured a shield to avoid the blasts from the Doombots that were left standing. He was already quick to work on defending the people from the robots. When they took a second to cool their weapons, Kent then saw he had an opening to disappear and reappear behind the robots he grabbed by the head. Then the robot's heads glowed golden and blew up and left Fate alone with the rescued captives.

"I have rescued the hostages."

---

"Great, we are going to confront...Klaue." Peter was saying when he noticed that there was a whole room full of either dead men or destroyed machines. "What the hell?"

They heard grunting come from down the hall and quickly ran to find where it was coming from. They found the man in black from before holding an armed man up. "Now... where is Klaue taking the Vibranium?!"

The man raised his gun, shocking them as they did he didn't even flinch. He then opened fire and quickly tried to shoot him. But to their shock, the man wasn't even injured. His suit seemed even to absorb the gunshot energy into the suit as it glowed purple.

"So... are we supposed to intervene in this or what?" Johnny asks.

That got the man's attention as he turned around to face the team. He threw the man he was holding aside and prepared to strike them.

"I think we're getting into a fight," Peter said, quickly jumping into the fight as he prepared to shoot webs at the man. "Let's see how-"

Before his senses could even register, Peter was smacked and sent flying into a wall. He groaned as his suit began to speak, giving him the status that the suit was rebooting.

"Oh, he's fast? Let's see him dodge these!" Johnny cried as he burst into flames, and threw fireballs towards him. He only stood there and watched the fireballs come down and engulf him. Then when the flames died down, he was unharmed and was still standing. "What?!"

Then the man in black shot off several strange glowing knives towards Johnny, causing him to shriek and fly to avoid the knives. Susan then quickly conjured up some force fields and threw them towards him. The man in black used animalistic reflexes to dodge them and ran over where he smacked Susan, throwing her into the wall. Ben charged over to try and strike, but the man in black leaped over and landed on his back, where he was then sent a sonic surge that sent Ben flying and collapsing.

Constantine tried to conjure a spell when the man in black swiftly dodged the attacks and punched Constantine. Peter then got his systems back online and he could finally see again. Working fast he leaped over and shot a web net that latched onto him.

"Fate, we might need a hand here!" Peter cried, shooting a taser web to try and stop him.

The man then quickly removed the net and even grabbed the taser web like it was nothing. Peter was then yanked and slammed into the ground where he was then stood on by the man in black. That was when Fate entered through that symbol again and was shocked by what he was seeing before him. He removed his helmet and showed himself.

"You are the Black Panther," Kent commented.

"Kent, you know this guy?" Peter asked, grunting from the weight of his foot.

"Yes," Kent confirmed. "This man is not our enemy."

"Tell that to him!" Johnny grunted. "He attacked us."

"Our King, we are not your enemies, for in fact, we are allies," Kent informed them.

The man now known as the Black Panther looked down on them and stood off to allow Peter to stand back up. "My apologies." He then removed his mask with what looked to be nano-technology. "I am King T'Challa."

"Wait, the King of Wakanda is a guy in some suited-up armor?" Johnny asks.

"Gotta be honest, Johnny, I am surprised you even knew who he was," Susan said.

"Ow," Ben groaned. "Better have a good reason for pounding us?"

"I thought you were more of Klaue's men," T'Challa explained why he attacked. "By the time I got down here, Klaue had escaped." He then looked over to a compartment in the ship that seemed to be hidden by the naked eye. "With my Vibranium."

"Your Vibranium?" Peter asked in shock. "So.. Vibranium is real?"

T'Challa approached the containment area and scanned it for anything. "Millions of years ago, a meteorite made of Vibranium, the strongest substance in the universe, struck the continent of Africa, affecting the plant life around it." He was giving them the information. "And when the time of men came, five tribes settled on it and called it Wakanda. The tribes lived in constant war with one another until a warrior shaman received a vision from the Panther Goddess Bast, who led him to the Heart-Shaped Herb, a plant that granted him superhuman strength, speed, and instincts. The warrior became king and the first Black Panther, protector of Wakanda. The Wakandans used Vibranium to develop technology more advanced than any other nation. But as Wakanda thrived, the outside world around them descended into chaos. So to keep themselves and Vibranium from the rest of the world. Keeping the truth of their power from the outside world."

"But we've seen Wakanda," Susan commented. "It isn't hidden."

"You have seen the false image of Wakanda, the show we put on for the outlanders," T'Challa explained. "Klaue is the only one who has ever escaped the true Wakanda and has taken some of our Vibranium with him. I came in hopes of finding out where he has been dealing our resources."

"So, Klaue is where he is getting that indestructible armor." Peter finally figured it out. "We're looking for the same person, Your Highness."

"How so?" T'Challa asks.

"The guy who Klaue is selling this metal to, he attacked us over and over the last few months," Peter explained. "I have the feeling that if we find Klaue, we will find Doom, and the rest of your Vibranium." He reached his hand for him to shake. "What do you say? You want to maybe work together on this one?"

T'Challa scoffed at that one. "The Kingdom of Wakanda has done well without the help of outsiders." He then walked off. "You are not needed."

"No offense, Your Highness, but you need us," Peter said as he approached T'Challa. "Klaue is working for a dangerous man, who is using your metals to attack us. Klaue must know where our monster is hiding. He has kidnapped sorcerers, metahumans, Inhumans, and just about anyone who is a threat to him. And you might be put on that list. Let us help. Not because you can't protect yourself, but because we have people who we promised to protect. Doom has a young girl who I promised I would keep safe. I am going to get her back. And Klaue can finally give us the leg up we needed. Please."

T'Challa saw in Peter's eyes the eyes of a leader. Someone who was willing to do anything to keep the people he was sworn to protect safe. He understood where he was coming from, and Klaue had managed to escape his grasp before. If they thought that they could help, maybe it was best to let them.

"Then come," T'Challa said as he walked off.

Peter looked over to Fate. "So, you can see the future?"

"Sometimes," Kent confirmed.

"How many do I manage to convince him?" Peter wonders.

Kent considered his answer. "About five. Six, now."

"Wow," Peter scoffed as he followed T'Challa.

---

CENTRAL CITY:

The team sent a message saying that they found something but were told they couldn't explain further until later. Cisco was summoned using the FantaticCar and left the Guardians, Bette, Caitlin, and the Guardians behind to keep the city safe while they were gone. Rocket was busy trying to fix the Milano fragments that were damaged by AMAZO.

While Rocket was working, Valeria walked over and looked over his shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to reconfigure the superconductor to get us the energy so we can get the Milano working again," Rocket explained as he was still working.

"Why don't you just reprogram the synapses to work collectively with the Matrix of the Milano?" Valeria asks.

Rocket scoffed when he heard that. "Oh, please, that can't- oh, wait, no that could work." He was surprised when he turned to Valeria in confusion. "How did you do that?"

"My mommy and daddy tell me I am really smart." Val shrugged.

"Smart? Kid, I didn't even think of that," Rocket commented in surprise. "You are something else."

"Wow, Rocket giving compliments to a kid," Gamora said with shock in her voice.

"So, the old raccoon has a heart after all." Quill mocked.

"Don't call me a raccoon!" Rocket warned, drawing his blaster. "Or I will fry your-"

"Hey!" Bette called as she walked into the room. "No fighting in the building. You have a problem, take it outside."

Then a ping came from the ceiling as HERBIE came in. "Sorry to interrupt, but there is another ship that has landed on the outskirts of the city."

"Another spaceship?" Caitlin asked in surprise. "You sure it isn't Doom?"

"It doesn't match anything on Earth's database, not even the signature the ship is giving off," HERBIE informed them. "And it seems that the pilot of the ship is a... white tiger?"

"A white tiger like that Puerto Rico superhero Cisco claims exists?" Caitlin questioned.

"I... doubt that," HERBIE said, getting them to look and see a video of Titus and Chitauri attacking the streets.

"Oh, god," Gamora said in worry.

"You know this guy?" Bette asks.

"Titus," Quill answered.

---

Back with the others, The Watcher eyed them down as he watched the plane that had the King of Wakanda flying aside from the FantasticCar. His jet was much more sleek compared to the FantasticCar, and Cisco was already thinking of tearing it apart to see what made the ship so special. The crew followed the King as he was leading them to the gates of Wakanda. Since they were apparently prone to destroy any outsider vehicles that entered the atmosphere, it was said that the safest place would be at his side.

"We sure we should be following this guy?" Susan asks. "I am not getting any readings of any civilizations out here."

"I am not going to pick a fight with the guy brave enough to wear a catsuit in public, are you?" Peter asks her.

Then when they flew toward a mountainside, they hit what seemed to be some sort of barrier that they managed to pass unharmed. When they reached the other side, they were met with a majestic view of the city of Wakanda. The true Wakanda. They saw giant skyscrapers hidden from all radars, including their own. A giant forcefield kept outsiders from finding it, but they were still able to look outside and they were in awe of the technology they could see even from here.

"Whoa..." Ben said with awe in his voice.

"This is... incredible," Peter said in awe.

"I am dead, and this is engineering heaven," Cisco said in awe.

T'Challa then flew them off towards a landing platform outside of the palace. He was first to land and was immediately greeted by the Dora Milaje, a group of trained women who would fight to defend the throne of Wakanda. By any means necessary. He walked over and was greeted by the sight of his younger sister, Shuri.

"Welcome home, brother," Shuri said as she approached her brother and greeted him with a warm hug. "And it seems that you brought some friends." She said, eyeing the FantasticCar coming down and landing aside his jet. "This is not what I had in mind when I said to go and make friends."

"They are here to help us with our little... Klaue situation," T'Challa explained.

"Oh, my George Lucus," Cisco said in awe as he looked around at the sight of the city from the landing pad. "Ooh, hey, Your Highness, what would it take to get a tour of your tech facilities?" He wonders as he looks down. "Because I will give my right arm if I have to."

"That can certainly be arranged," Shuri promises. "If you are willing to do just that."

"Wait, what?" Cisco asks.

"This is my sister, Shuri, forgive her cruel humor," T'Challa tells them. "Now... if you follow me..."

The team was led to a giant throne room surrounded by the Dora Milaje. T'Challa walked forward and took his spot on the throne while the Dora Milaje gave their salute as he passed. Peter and the team stayed close to one another as they weren't sure how they were open to acting around outsiders.

"Thank you for allowing us access to your home," Peter said.

"I allowed you access because you said that your enemy and mine have something in common," T'Challa said as he silenced Peter. "You mentioned his name was... Doom?"

"Victor Von Doom," Peter confirmed. "That's what he seems to name himself."

"And why is it that this man has taken a sudden interest in my country?" T'Challa asks.

"Uh, it could be because we have destroyed a powerful weapon of his. And lost one of his other inventions," Cisco jumped in.

"Doom has been planning to strike back against me for years after an incident that he caused. He blamed me for what happened and always thought I saw myself as smarter than him. And when he tried to prove it, it literally blew up in his face." Peter gave him a recapped history.

"I see," T'Challa said as he stood up again. "Well, then there is something in common."

"We have been swatting Klaue and his forces for weeks, nonstop." Shuri jumped in. "We are used to his attacks weeks after weeks at a time, he has been coming after us for years. But he has been attacking us more frequently. Coming back with more resources even after he failed to steal our Vibranium, and only recently has he actually managed to steal some in the last few months."

"Doom must have been supplying him with Adaptoids," Peter took a guess. "Super-computers that can adapt to any power, even copy it, and even predict your moves if it studies you long enough."

"They have been striking us nonstop the last month or two," Susan confirmed. "If Doom wants your Vibranium, then it is for something to strike back at us."

"So, Doom wants Vibranium, he hires Klaue, Klaue steals the Vibranium, so that Doom has Vibranium to attack us with, and in exchange Klaue gets tech and robots to steal more Vibranium?" Johnny was trying to make sure he was following. "Am I following that right?"

"Actually, pretty much, yes." Cisco was impressed.

"I am sorry to say, but I have a feeling that your nation is just collateral damage to Doom," Peter said in sorrow. "He doesn't care who dies as long as he gets that Vibranium to come after us."

T'Challal seemed to be thinking of what to say next. "Then I believe that you were right." He said as he walked over and looked out the window. "This is a part of something much bigger than we anticipated. Klaue comes from a long family history of Vibranium thieves. His father included."

"Gotta say, we thought you would be a little more concerned," Ben admitted.

"We are only concerned when it comes to Klaue's sonic-based technology," Shuri explained. "That is the only thing that can destabilize Vibranium, including our shields and scanners. That is how he has slipped through our defenses so easily these past few months."

"We believe that if Kalue continues with this, he could begin to corrupt our Vibranium," T'Challa warned them. "And in doing so, could destroy our way of life."

"Well, now that we are here, we can share intel," Peter stated as he stepped forward. "Doom and his Doombots are our specialties, but Vibranium is yours. Only together are we going to be able to solve both of our problems for good."

"I believe you are right." T'Challa agreed. "Only the two of us working together can settle this. Once and for all."

"Take a look around." T'Challa offered.

"We will see how we can make ourselves useful," Peter promised as they walked off.

---

CENTRAL CITY:

"Should we be worried about this?" Caitlin asks the Guardians.

"Well..." Quill tried to come up with a good answer.

"He's a ruthless bounty hunter who we ticked off more than a few times," Gamora answered for them. "He must have tracked us from our last mission before coming here to deal with AMAZO."

"And then probably saw a giant energy signature that led him specifically to this part of Earth," Rocket commented.

"And those aliens?"

"Chitauri. Merciless warriors." Quill answered.

"We can handle this," Gamora said, running off to summon the Guardians.

"Should I..?" Bette wondered if she should help them.

"Go ahead," Caitlin shrugged. "They might need you."

---

Titus and the Chitauri were beginning to shoot the streets, hoping to draw out the Guardians of the Galaxy. He knows that they couldn't resist coming to the rescue of the people in trouble. He pulled out his arm which turned out to be a literal arm cannon and began to charge it up.

"Guardians of the Galaxy!" Titus called out. "Come out! Come out!"

Star-Lord adjusts his blasters, Gamora sharpens her sword, Drax cracks his knuckles, and Rocket loads up his gadgets. Groot stands silently, ready to protect his friends.

Quill stood over the Future Foundation with the rest of the crew. "Well, looks like we've got a big guy on our hands. No pressure, right?"

Drax squinted at Titus. "I will destroy this creature! It is not worthy of the ground it stands on!"

Suddenly, Titus, towering over the street, roars and swats a car aside like a toy. The vehicle crashes into a building, sending shards of glass raining down. The Chitauri began to open fire, sending people screaming in terror.

Rocket whistles at the strength. "Okay, that's a bit more than I was expecting. Someone needs to teach him some manners!"

Gamora steps forward, her eyes fixed on Titus. "We need to distract him while we figure out a plan. Quill, you get his attention!" She nodded towards Drax and Rocket. "Drax, Bette, Rocket, you handle the Chitauri."

"Copy that," Bette nodded.

Quill nods presses a button on his blaster, and blasts a vibrant display of lights and sounds. Titus turns, confused but intrigued Quill uses his rocket boots and flies his way downward, getting the attention of the Chitauri and Titus' attention.

"Hey, big guy! Over here! You want to dance?" Quill asked as he flew over, shooting a few shots at the Chitauri.

Titus, enraged, charges at Star-Lord, who dodges just in time with his rockets. The impact sends shockwaves through the ground and several cars fly in explosive impacts.

Drax then came charging through the streets, charging towards Titus, "Do not worry, Star-Lord! I will assist you!"

Drax leaps onto Titus's back, trying to wrestle him down. Gamora joins in, delivering swift kicks and slashes with her sword. Titus' armor took the damage as she then missed Titus reaching for his blaster.

Rocket came flying in on a jetpack and he opened fire, getting the Chitauri to turn their attention toward him. Bette ran in and got an idea when she saw the cars in the streets. "Groot, can you throw those cars for me?"

"I am Groot," Groot said.

"Uh... I will take that as a yes," Bette said, running over and grabbing the cars, allowing her Metahuman DNA to transfer to the car, turning it into a gigantic bomb. Groot then punched the ground, sending his roots through the streets and then sprouting them out of the ground and sending the car flying. When the car slammed near the Chitauri, the explosion sent the aliens flying and killing a few of them.

Bette then repeated the action, grabbing another bomb and was preparing to repeat the action. But that was when Titus caught on to what she was doing, quickly grabbing Drax and throwing him off of his head. Then he quickly grabbed Gamora by the arms and lifted her, kicking her and sending her flying into Quill. When Groot shot the car into the air before it could fly and hit the ground, Titus blew it up with one shot, sending Rocket flying as his jetpack was damaged and sent him flying backward.

Groot however managed to shoot one more car into the air, flying towards Titus. The tiger alien creature growled when he saw the car and it smashed into him. That caused them some relief as they figured that it was enough to take him out.

Drax groaned as he got off of a fire hydrant and looked down at the sidewalk. "My apologies, peasant." He said as if he believed that the hydrant was a person. "You are unharmed."

"Uh, Drax," Bette called out. "That's-"

"Don't bother," Gamora groaned. "It's not worth it."

But then they watched as out of the smoke Titus came marching out of the smoke with a yellow aurora surrounding him. He chuckled as he stepped out, revealing he had a force field around him, protecting him. There was a small yellow orb on his belt, approaching from the smoke, and growled.

"Oh, no," Rocket said in terror.

"Rocket, what is going on?" Quill asks.

"He's got access to a Dwarf star core." Rocket said in terror as Titus marched forward. "His skills are ten times as strong and it is basically indestructible. Long story short, we're screwed!"

Titus swiftly drew his arm blaster, the metallic click echoing ominously as he opened fire. The crack of energy bolts sent a jolt of panic through his targets, each one instinctively leaping away in a chaotic scramble to evade his shots. Quill dashed for cover, ducking beneath a nearby car, where he crouched, heart racing. Just beside him, Gamora darted in, pressing herself against the cool metal as they both sought refuge from the onslaught.

Drax, bold as ever, found himself caught in the crossfire. A bright bolt struck him squarely, sending him hurtling backward into a parked car with a heavy thud. Miraculously, he shook off the impact, undeterred and ready for more.

Meanwhile, Rocket let out a panicked squeal, racing towards Groot. With a desperate leap, he clambered onto Groot's sturdy shoulders. In response, Groot wasted no time, his bark-like skin bristling as he took off, weaving among the trees to escape the relentless barrage.

Bette, eyes wide with fear, sprinted towards a bus stop, her breath coming in quick gasps as she pressed herself against the concrete structure, hoping it would shield her from the chaos erupting around her. The scene was a whirlwind of frantic movements and the sharp crackle of blaster fire, a tense ballet of survival amidst the chaos.

While Titus was shooting trying to kill the Guardians, several transformers surrounding Titus exploded from underground. He had to stop the blasting to shield himself from the smoke and sparks flying around them.

"What the hell?" Quill asks. "What is going on?"

"That was us!" Valeria's voice came over their comms.

"Kid?" Rocket was shocked to hear her. "How did you hack our comms?"

"It wasn't that hard. You left one in your toolbox." Val shrugged.

"You went through my tools?!" Rocket asked.

"Yell later, Rocket," Gamora said. "What are you kids doing?"

"We wanted to help," Franklin explained. "We don't know where Auntie Caitlin went, so we figured you guys could use the help."

"We don't need your help." Rocket stated. "We can handle this."

The entire group, no matter how far away from one another, all eyed Rocket showing that they indeed wanted their help. "Come on, Rocket," Val said in a squeaky voice. "Please? Please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Please!"

"How long can she keep this up?" Quill wonders.

"Her record is maybe ten minutes," Bette shrugged.

"Alright!" Rocket cried in pain. "Okay, we will let you help. Just... please! Stop!"

"Yes!" Val cheered.

"So, what's the plan?" Gamora asked them when she saw Titus standing back up. "Because we could use a plan!"

"Well, from what Rocket has said, all you need to do is get that Dwarf star off of Titus," Franklin shrugged.

"That isn't exactly going to be easy," Bette commented.

"No, but you can make him overuse it," Valeria explained her plan. "It's protecting him, shielding around him to keep him safe no matter what you throw at him. But... what if you keep throwing things at him?"

"Huh?" Quill didn't seem to get the idea as Titus began to open fire, causing him to shriek. "ROCKET?!"

"Well, the kid has the basis of a good idea," Rocket shrugged, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of being right. "If we shoot Titus and get him to overload the Dwarf star, then leave him vulnerable so we can take him out."

"Alright, who wants to go first into the madness?" Quill asked sarcastically.

"I will gladly charge in head first into the maddness!" Drax cried out, racing ahead with his knives drawn.

"Wait, Drax, that was sarcasm!" Quill tried to stop him.

Drax charged into the fray, his powerful legs propelling him into the air as he soared toward Titus. In that split second, he noticed the criminal struggling to lift his blaster, but Drax's reflexes were quicker. With a fierce determination, he lunged forward, plunging his weapon into the shimmering forcefield enveloping Titus's shoulders. Using his considerable strength, he wrapped around his opponent, relentlessly stabbing at the translucent barrier with all his might.

Meanwhile, Gamora watched the chaotic scene unfold with growing urgency. A spark of inspiration ignited within her as her eyes landed on the fire hydrant that Drax had been animatedly conversing with moments before. Without hesitation, she sprinted over, her blade flashing as she sliced through the hydrant's metal body. In an instant, water gushed forth in a powerful torrent, cascading toward Titus.

The deluge collided with the lingering sparks of electricity from the shattered transformers nearby, creating a violent fusion of water and energy. A blinding electrical surge erupted, crackling through the air and lashing out at Titus, sending violent shocks coursing through the very core of his Dwarf star.

Seizing the moment, Quill leaped into view, a determined glint in his eyes as he recognized the opportunity to strike. With adrenaline surging, he prepared to spring into action, ready to join the battle against their formidable foe.

"Come on, guys!" Quill cried as he leaped in to strike.

"Groot, use the sewer grates in the streets as project-tiles," Valeria tried to pronounce the word.

Groot used her advice and used his tree branches to grab the sewer grates and toss them toward Titus.

---

"Okay, that is good, but how does that stop him?" Franklin wonders. "He is still taking it all."

"I know," Valeria tried to figure out a plan. "We need a way to get through his shield..." Then an idea came into mind. "That's it!"

Val quickly got up and ran off, making her way towards the Milano. Franklin wasn't sure what was happening as he just followed after his sister, making their way inside. When making their way inside, Valeria was already hard at work grabbing essential equipment while HERBIE came flying inside.

"Halt! What are you two doing in here?" HERBIE asks them. "You aren't supposed to be in here."

"HERBIE, just hold on," Val said as she got to work at creating a device. "We've got a job for you to save the city."

"Me?" HERBIE asks. "Save the city?"

Val smiled as she placed a power source into the device and watched it whirr to life. "Yep..."

---

Quill soared through the skies, unleashing a barrage of energy blasts aimed at Titus, who retaliated with desperate shots in an attempt to bring him down. Meanwhile, Gamora charged into the fray, her sword glinting in the light as it struck against Titus's shimmering forcefield, sending sparks flying with each powerful swipe. Bette grabbed a few pieces of rubble off of the ground and threw them toward Titus, causing the explosion to hit his forcefield. Rocket, undeterred, unleashed a relentless storm of missiles toward their formidable foe, yet each explosion seemed to bounce off, leaving Titus unscathed.

Amidst the chaos, a familiar sight emerged—HERBIE zoomed in, skillfully navigating the battlefield while perched on the sturdy back of Groot. "Mr. Rocket," HERBIE greeted, his mechanical voice cutting through the noise as he expertly handed over the hadron enforcer. "Ms. Storm asked me to deliver this to you so you can finish the job."

Rocket snatched the hadron enforcer from HERBIE's grasp, his eyes widening in excitement as he examined the weapon. It was perfectly calibrated and ready for action, igniting a spark of determination within him.

"Oh... yeah," Rocket said, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he prepared to turn the tide of the battle.

With a determined glint in his eye, Rocket aimed the weapon squarely at Titus, muscles coiled in anticipation as he waited for the right moment. Meanwhile, Quill, acting on instinct, barreled into Gamora and Drax, providing Rocket the distraction he needed. Spotting his chance, Rocket squeezed the trigger.

The missile burst forth with a deafening roar, slicing through the air with incredible speed. It zeroed in on Titus' belt, where a shimmering Dwarf star pulsed ominously. Upon impact, the missile exploded with brilliant force, shattering the star in a dazzling display of light. The force of the blast propelled Titus like a ragdoll, sending him crashing violently against a nearby truck, where he slumped unconscious, utterly defeated.

"Okay, it is official, I like this kid," Rocket stated, seeing the chaos was over.

---

Back in Wakanda, everyone was taking in the sights of the capital. Wakanda was an amazing nation and very different from the likes of Attilan and Central City. They walked around and found Cisco and Shuri talking in the labs.

"There you are," Shuri said. "I was about to send for you." She then pulled up a hologram that showed them several towers that created a barrier around the nation of Wakanda. "This is the Kimoyo Network. Well, part of it."

"This is basically like the internet but a thousand times better," Cisco explains.

"The Kimoyo Network provides our people access to all of Wakanda's collected knowledge. We use it for communication, transportation, and a great many things." Shuri continued to explain it. "We access it through our Kymoyo beads."

"And she won't let us have any," Cisco said in disappointment. "Citizens only."

"We have been using the network to track Klaue's movements, He is quiet for now. But if he makes any noise, our warriors will find him." Shuri explains to them.

"At this point, I don't doubt that." Peter complimented them.

"Thank you for the data you have provided us. Perhaps we can even give you a hand in locating your Dr. Doom's location." Shuri offered.

"That would be great," Susan said with relief. "We have been having problems tracking where Victor is hiding."

Then they watched Shuri's beads go off. "My brother wishes us to the throne room."

The Fantastic Four and Cisco eagerly returned to the Throne Room, anticipation filling the air as they awaited T'Challa's arrival. They observed in awe as he entered the room, adorned in a sleek, enhanced version of the suit he had worn during his previous encounter with the Fantastic Four. As he approached, the mask seamlessly dissolved from around his head, unveiling its construction from advanced nano-technology.

"Be honest, you just wanted to show off the new suit," Shuri told her brother with a smile.

"As usual, I have no idea what you are talking about," T'Challa said as he walked over to the throne. He then addressed the rest of the room with the other leaders of the tribes and the royal guard. "As of this moment, I recognize the Fantastic Four as allies to Wakanda."

"Thank you." Peter was relieved to see he decided to trust them fully. "I hope we do you justice."

"You will only have to get used to keeping up with me," T'Challa stated as he returned his mask.

"That's my brother's version of a warm welcome," Shuri tells them. "You will also have to get used to that." Peter nodded as he walked off and the others followed. "You finally agree to accept help, and it's from outsiders." She told her brother in surprise. "It is not like you."

"I am not accepting help. I am giving it." T'Challa stated.

"Then let me send teams to the sights where Klaue and his men are making camp," Shuri asked of him. "Take the Dora Milaje with you to confront Klaue. Do something than driving head first into danger."

"You must remember, sister," T'Challa said as he walked past. "I am not just the king of the throne. I am the Black Panther."

"Then show us you can do both." Shuri dared.

"I will," T'Challa promised.

---

"Can I live here?" Cisco asked as he looked around at the labs. "Like... I might just wanna move here. This is like an engineer's dream. It is like living in the future."

Shuri rolled her eyes at him and turned to the group. "I hope you have all familiarized yourselves with the palace by now."

"It is pretty incredible." Peter nodded.

"Yeah, nice to have a place where I can walk around and not worry about hitting a doorframe," Ben stated.

"I would love to see more of the city when we are finished," Kent admitted.

"I might stay here when we finish Klaue," Cisco stated.

"We have received an emergency transmission," T'Challa said as he activated the call.

"This is Okoye, we are being pushed back! We need assistance!"

"You cannot handle Klaue's forces alone?" T'Challa asked in surprise.

"It is not just Klaue. He has turned our defense systems against us." Okoye informed them.

"Impossible," t'Challa stated.

"Victor must have done something." Peter took an easy guess. "Probably got sick of Klaue losing, and knows he needs to up his game now we know who he is."

"We have lost her signal," Shuri warned them. "If Klaue or Victor has broken the Kimoyo network encryption, then something is very wrong."

"We will head out," T'Challa stated. "I believe it is time to put this partnership to the test," he stated, activating his suit and approaching the exit. "Come."

"Cisco, stay here and share what intel we have with the Princess," Peter tells his friend as they leave.

"No problem," Cisco said, giving a thumbs up as he awed over the technology.

---

T'Challa led the Fantastic Four to the location where they had lost the signal, navigating through the dense and lush jungle on foot. Despite the challenging terrain, most of the team had the stamina and energy to traverse it without difficulty. Susan utilized her forcefield when fatigue set in, providing a protective barrier as they pressed forward. Finally arriving at their destination, they halted in astonishment at the sight before them: the area bore the unmistakable mark of the destructive Doombots.

T'Challa raised his hand to stop the Fantastic Four before they went in to attack. They then watched as the Dora Milaje made quick work of the Doombots. They used their Vibranium spears to break apart the Doombots that surrounded them with ease.

"Care to join us Beloved?" Okoye asks T'Challa.

"It would be an honor," T'Challa said.

Then Okoye stabbed another Doombot with her spear while Peter was a little confused. "Beloved?"

"It is what the Dora Milaje call the Black Panther!" Okoye said with a war cry.

T'Challa approached the shield array and noticed that was the access point where Klaue got in. He approached and started to use his access to try and drain Klaue from getting inside.

"What are we doing now?" Johnny asks.

"Trying to drain Klaue from the network," T'Challa explained.

"You think that will stop me?" They froze and turned to see Klaue standing, his entire right arm was replaced and was a sonic cannon. "It didn't have to be like this."

"You have no more men," T'Challa stated as the rest of the Fantastic Four surrounded Klaue.

"There are always more men when I have a provider," Klaue stated. "And now I am in every system you rely on. Give me your Vibranium and I won't turn your city against you."

"Return what you have stolen, or I will take it with blood." T'Challa dared. Klaue then revealed he was carrying some sort of remote and set off explosions. "Go! Protect them!"

The team reacted quickly as Susan, Kent, Johnny, and Ben ran off to save the people from the explosions. Fate used his powers to try and levitate the buildings before they could fall on the civilians while Ben ran in and caught the foundation so Fate could let it go and begin teleporting civilians to a safe distance. Susan used her forcefields to stop the debris from crushing civilians. Peter swung around and either grabbed the falling debris by using web nets and

T'Challa then turned towards Klaue and leaped at him. But when he went to tackle him, Klaue used his sonic cannon and sent T'Challa flying backward. T'Challa quickly caught himself as he then dodged Klaue's second strike, and went in and was able to get close enough to rip off the sonic cannon. He then scratched Klaue, sending him falling backward.

"I have a message for your provider!" T'Challa stated as he grabbed Klaue. "See Wakanda and die!"

Klaue narrowly escaped through teleportation just as T'Challa was about to deliver the final strike. In the aftermath, T'Challa's gaze fell upon Wakanda, now ablaze with explosions. The Fantastic Four were amidst the chaos, frantically ushering citizens to safety. Without hesitation, T'Challa plunged into the fray, determined to assist in the rescue efforts.

---

T'Challa walked back into his sister's labs with a sorrowful look as he retracted his mask and approached the Fantastic Four. They were able to save plenty of people, but that wasn't without casualties. They evacuated the rest of the tribe and had them brought to the capital for safety where they covered the shield in a secondary shield not connected to the Kimoyo network.

"I am sorry, Your Highness," Peter told him.

"Klaue will pay for the blood he has spilled here," T'Challa promises.

"Princess." A guard called out. "We are receiving a message from the Vibranium mines."

"Put it through," Shuri asks.

That was when the cameras showed that it was Klaue who had taken over the mines. "This is a message for the King." He then showed that he had several Wakandans as hostages. "It would appear not everyone here is a warrior. I am extending an invitation, King. Come to me alone, or your people will die. The longer you make me wait, the shorter I will start picking off your people. One by one... See you soon."

Klaue then cut off the feed. "We need to stop Klaue. If something happens, then I will need you and your followers beside me."

"How do we do that?" Johnny asks.

"With nightfall, we can't sneak if Johnny flames up," Peter said. "We will be too obvious."

"I might be able to help there." Kent offered as he smiled, picking up the helmet. "Be prepared..." and he vanished from sight.

---

T'Challa confidently strode towards the entrance of the ancient Mines, the site of the Vibranium meteorite that had collided with Earth eons ago. As he advanced, Peter swung in beside him, Susan stayed hidden as he ran forward, Johnny flew ahead, and Ben dashed ahead. However, their progress was abruptly halted as Ben collided with an invisible forcefield. Klaue, taken aback, turned to witness the forcefield withstand the immense strength of the Thing and chuckled in amusement.

"I told you to hurry up," Klaue said, throwing aside the corpse of one of the people he killed. "I got tired of waiting."

"You are a monster!" Susan cried in anger.

"Me?" Klaue scoffed.

Fate appeared behind Klaue, preparing to strike him. But Peter nodded his head 'no' hoping that he would see. Fate then turned to the hostages in front of Klaue and nodded, understanding now what Peter wanted. But when he tried to access his magic, something was wrong. His powers were stopped. He looked down at Peter, nodding his head 'no' showing that something was wrong.

"Cisco, we've got a forcefield, two Doombots, and Fate lost his magic," Peter whispered into his comms. "Can you do something about them?"

"That forcefield must be connected to the Kymoto network." Cisco took a guess.

"Kymoyo network." Shuri corrected him.

"Figure out if you can use it to shut down the force field, or at the least, shut down the Doombots. They must be messing with Fate's magic somehow." Peter told him. "Constantine? Think you can help with that?"

"Oh, now you want my help?" Constantine asks.

"Ah!" Susan squealed. "How long has he been there?"

"Constantine, there are lives at stake, we don't have time," Peter informed him.

"Alright, alright, I'll see if I can find some mystical spell to maybe turn that forcefield off," Constantine told him as he began to recite some spells from the shadows.

"Just keep him occupied until we get in," Cisco warned him.

"Why are you doing this?" Peter asked Klaue. "Come on, everyone has a reason. What's yours?"

"You wanna know what happened?" Klaue asks. "Wanna know why this is all happening?!" He then aimed his new sonic cannon which was twice as large and likely twice as powerful. "Fine. My father came to this country when I was a child. He had heard about Vibranium. He figured out that it was Africa. A technological marvel, because it was built on top of the most valuable metal known to man. Isipho, the Gift. Vibranium. He thought that it could save his dying nation. The Black Panther actually listened to him, and showed him Wakanda..." he then held one of the hostages by the shoulder. "My father wanted to use the Gift to save his dying nation. But... the Black Panther said they had no Vibranium to give." He then released the hostage and moved around, missing Fate as he quickly hid himself, waiting for his powers to return. "And what did he learn in Wakanda? They sew Vibranium into their clothes. It powers their city. Their tech. Their weapons. They have a mountain full of it that they have been mining for a thousand years and have yet to scratch the surface of."

"Your father did not ask! He demanded it!" T'Challa corrected Klaue. "He threatened! And Azurri the wise said no!"

"Oh!" Klaue scoffed. "But he did not just say no, your highness." He stated while they were watching that the forcefield was beginning to glitch. Fate gave his powers a try, and he was beginning to get some back. But the generators were active, so he couldn't risk the well-being of the hostages. "He slit my father's throat... and left him to bleed on the ground you now stand on!" He then charged up his weapon. "That Panther is dead, so you will have to do. You and your people! Vibranium doesn't belong to you!"

Klaue aimed his gauntlet skyward, ready to unleash a sonic pulse at the ceiling and bring it down. However, as he fired, the forcefield dissipated. With all his powers now available, Fate quickly conjured a barrier to reinforce the ceiling, protecting the hostages below. Klaue's eyes widened in disbelief as he realized the Fantastic Four and Black Panther had disappeared.

In the next moment, Klaue was caught off guard as T'Challa attacked from behind, slashing at Klaue's hand and eliciting a scream of pain. The cannon was damaged. As T'Challa readied another blow, Peter swung in, pinning Klaue to the floor with webs. Susan enveloped him in a forcefield, Ben tore the cannon from his grasp, and Johnny incinerated it effortlessly, while Fate secured the area with another barrier.

"You are right, Klaue," T'Challa stated as he approached Klaue. "Vibranium doesn't belong to me." He then drew his claws and showed he meant business. "It belongs to Wakanda!"

Peter then got an idea as he looked to Fate. "Fate, you think maybe you can look inside his head? See if you can find Doom's hideout?"

"I will gladly break his mind." Fate stated as he approached Klaue with his hand outstretched.

Klaue suddenly produced a detonator, halting everyone in their tracks as they noticed bombs placed around the area. As Klaue activated the explosives, Ben let out a yell, clinging to the stairway's edge. Susan's scream echoed as she plummeted, but Peter swiftly moved to her aid, shooting a web for her to grasp. In the nick of time, Fate teleported beside Ben, with Johnny lending a hand.

Peter was pulling Susan up while T'Challa ran towards Klaue before he could escape. Klaue grabbed the burning corpse of his weapon and tried to use it to fire. It did let out a small pulse, but T'Challa already grabbed the weapon, and his suit was allowed to absorb the blast and it sent Klaue falling off the ledge. He fell into the core of pure Vibranium since Fate was helping Ben and was sent falling into the core.

Everyone came back together as they looked down to the railing where Klaue fell down. "Well, that is a shame," Kent said with a sigh.

But before they could figure out what happened, the cave began to shake, and they got a static comm channel back. "Brother! The city is under attack!"

"What?" T'Challa asks.

"You guys need to get back here!" Cisco cried.

---

Atop the towering skyscrapers of the city, a mesmerizing whirlpool of radiant golden light materializes in the heavens. Through this mystical gateway emerges Dr. Fate, adorned in resplendent golden headgear that shimmers in the sunlight. His flowing robes, embellished with enigmatic ancient symbols, ripple around him as he gracefully descends to the earth, keenly detecting the disruption in the protective energy field enveloping Wakanda.

Meanwhile, the group emerges from the cavern, with T'Challa dashing ahead to the precipice, where he is struck immobile by the chilling spectacle below. The skyline of Wakanda is overrun by hordes of mechanical monstrosities, suffused with malevolent energy, descending upon the city and sowing chaos with their metallic appendages and eerie crimson eyes.

"What are these?" T'Challa asks.

"Cisco, why weren't we alerted?" Peter asks.

"These aren't the same Adaptoids," Cisco explained as they heard the explosions over the comms.

"They sure bloody look like them," Constantine commented.

"No, there is something different about these guys, Pete," Cisco said.

"Fate, get a look at what we are dealing with," Peter asked of him.

"I shall." Fate then vanished and appeared inside of the forcefield that the Adaptoids managed to slip past. "By the will of the Lords of Order, I shall protect this realm!"

As he lands gracefully on the roof of a skyscraper, he surveys the scene below. Robots are rampaging through the streets, their mechanical bodies thrumming with dark energy, chaos erupting in every direction.

With a wave of his hand, Dr. Fate conjures a shield of luminescent energy, deflecting a volley of energy blasts fired by the rogue machines. The shield shatters upon impact, but Fate remains unfazed, channeling the mystical forces of the universe.

"These Adaptoids are indeed different." Fate confirmed as he began muttering an incantation. "From the cosmic void, grant me strength!" He raises his staff, and tendrils of golden energy spiral outwards, striking down two robots as they advance. The energy wraps around their limbs, immobilizing them in a dazzling display of power. "They have been infused with the powers of the Mystic Arts!"

"How is that possible?" Peter asks. "Doom couldn't do that before."

"He must have literally taught these ones how to use magic." Cisco took a guess.

"He's draining the skill and power of sorcerers he is capturing," Constantine reminded them. "This must be what he is doing with it."

This causes Peter to pause because now he knows what is happening to Raven and is worried about what is happening. He didn't know if Victor didn't care about their lives or if they lived. He promised Rachel he would protect her, and he already failed at that. He wasn't going to let her die. He needed to find her.

"Creating monstrous Adaptoids with mystical spells?" Johnny asked in terror. "Oh, could this day get any worse?"

Susan turned and eyed her brother with anger. "You did not just say that! Did you not learn from last time!?"

"Shuri, direct me to the shield's weakest-" T'Challa was directing them to a possible entrance when a giant hand came out of nowhere.

The hand looked to be made out of strange vibranium. It looked almost like what T'Challa's suit looked like when he absorbed energy into the suit. Then they watched as a giant sonic cannon came out of the ground and they watched that it was Klaue. He had been transformed when he fell into the Vibranium mine and was now a living sonic weapon.

"Do you feel it?" Klaue asked as he stood tall above the heroes. "In your bones?! Your country groveling at my feet!"

In the heat of the moment, Ben reacted instinctively by seizing the closest boulder and hurling it at Klaue. Meanwhile, Peter swiftly unleashed his web-shooters and attempted to deploy his mechanical arms to discharge electricity. T'Challa launched himself at Klaue, while Susan summoned forcefields and launched them towards the adversary. Johnny directed streams of scorching fire at Klaue. Despite their coordinated efforts, they soon realized that their usual tactics were futile against Klaue, who was composed entirely of sound and impervious to conventional methods of attack.

"Well, that was bloomy charming," Constantine commented. "Anyone else got any ideas?"

Klaue then raised his cannon and attacked the crew, causing them to scatter. Peter shot a web and swung away. Susan created a forcefield to protect her and Constantine. Johnny squealed as he took to the skies. Ben wasn't able to act fast enough and was flung into the caves.

"Shuri, are you seeing this?" T'Challa asked from behind a pillar.

"We are seeing. Still working on believing." Cisco commented.

"Vibranium has ripped Klaue apart and infused with the Vibranium at a molecular level. He is literally living sound." Shuri said in shock.

"How do I defeat a man made out of sound?" T'Challa asks.

"What about your suit?" Peter asked as he shot two webs to try and blind Klaue, but only to get the same result. "Isn't that made out of Vibranium?"

"Not to the same degree as Klaue now is," T'Challa stated.

"No, but we can work it with our powers," Peter explained as he swung on Klaue's cannon to grab Susan. "John, we need you to use whatever magic you have. Weaken Klaue."

"You expect me to go against sound?" Constantine asks.

"You fight demons which are technically thin air, right?!" Peter asked as he slid underneath Klaue, shooting a web to yank his weapon. "Use one of those!"

"That is possible." Shuri agreed. "And I can help from in here by amplifying the sound dampeners around Wakanda."

"Use them to find the frequency that Klaue is working at, we can get rid of Klaue for good." Cisco agreed.

"But to do that, you would need to shut the shield around the city." T'Challa reminded her.

"Only until you defeat Klaue." Shuri stated.

"Do not be concerned about your people," Fate said as he was hard at work. "I shall protect them!"

T'Challa saw that Fate had it handled. "Do it."

---

Constantine advanced towards the edge of the platform, his voice rising in a rhythmic chant that seemed to weave through the air, creating a shimmering barrier that encircled the platform. The barrier crackled with energy, effectively trapping Klaue's sonic form and preventing him from slipping away.

Meanwhile, Shuri deftly deactivated the forcefield, unleashing the other Doombots onto the streets. Dr. Fate, with a flicker of energy, split himself into multiple duplicates, each ready to engage the mechanical foes in battle. The relentless sonic frequency was taking its toll on Klaue, gradually eroding his once impenetrable invulnerability.

Little did Dr. Fate realize, the malevolent force that controlled the mechanical foes remained hidden within their circuits. Suddenly, a colossal robot, towering over the rest, emerged from the shadows, its eyes blazing with an ominous red glow. With a swift scan, it targeted the true Dr. Fate and unleashed a devastating blast. Reacting swiftly, Fate conjured a protective shield just in time to deflect the lethal attack.

"You will be eliminated!" The towering Adaptoid promised.

Dr. Fate narrows his eyes under his mask, recognizing the threat. He focuses his energy, summoning a storm of mystical winds to disorient the robots. As the winds howl, he launches himself into the fray, his staff crackling with arcane energy.

"Your master's wrath will not touch these people!" Fate promises.

With swift movements, he dodges the attacks of the smaller robots, striking them down with precision. Each swing of his staff sends arcs of energy that explode on contact, illuminating the night sky.

Klaue began to shrink and became human-sized again, but was still made out of living sound, making it hard for them to attack him. But the more they changed frequencies the weaker that Klaue became.

T'Challa was the first to come in and used the kinetic energy built into his suit and released it. That caused a sonic pulse that sent Klaue flying and weakening him to help them attack.

Johnny flew in and quickly shot fire towards him, watching it was actually harming Klaue. "Oh, yeah, that's right, feel the burn!"

---

The Major Adaptoid retaliates, launching a barrage of missiles. Dr. Fate raises his hand, creating a barrier of light that absorbs the impact. The explosion sends shockwaves through the surrounding area, but he remains steady, channeling his power deeper.

"You rely on brute strength, but I wield the forces of the cosmos!" Fate cried as he began to float, channeling the energy back into him and all of his copies.

As the dust settles, he takes a moment to gather his thoughts, sensing the dark energies controlling the robots. With renewed determination, Dr. Fate ascends into the air, hovering above the chaos. He begins to chant an ancient spell, the words flowing like music, resonating with the very essence of magic. The Major Adaptoid, sensing the threat, charges at him with overwhelming force.

---

Klaue swiftly powered up his menacing sonic cannon and directed it menacingly towards Johnny. In a split second, Peter reacted, shooting out a web and yanking the cannon away from Klaue, redirecting it back towards him. The force of the redirection sent Klaue hurtling backward, crashing into the rugged cave wall with a resounding impact. As he lay sprawled against the wall, Ben swiftly seized him by the throat, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.

"Oh, yeah, now it's clobberin' time!" Ben cheered as he threw Klaue high up into the air. When Klaue came back down, he slammed into the ground.

---

"You cannot stop progress!" The Adaptoid promises.

"Progress without wisdom leads to destruction!" Fate stated.

Just as the Major Mech reaches him, Dr. Fate releases a beam of radiant energy. It pierces through the air, striking the robot directly in its core. The energy travels through the circuits, disrupting the dark force controlling it.

The Major Mech convulses, its systems overloaded. Dr. Fate amplifies the spell, pouring all his power into the incantation. The light expands, enveloping the entire battlefield.

With a final explosion of energy, the Major Mech collapses, its power source is disrupted, and the remaining robots halt, their eyes flickering before going dark. The streets of Mechanica are left in silence, the city now safe from the mechanical menace.

Dr. Fate descends back to the ground, his energy flickering slightly as he catches his breath. Citizens emerge from hiding, witnessing their savior standing amidst the remnants of the battle.

---

When Klaue landed back on the ground, they noticed that it almost seemed like he was leaking. He was becoming a solid mass, and he couldn't keep himself alive in this form. He struggled to stand as T'Challa approached his falling foe.

"What are you doing to me?!" Klaue cried. "Stop! Stop!"

T'Challa walked through him and Klaue vanished from sight. He walked over to the cliff. "It is done. Reinstall the shield."

Then the city was left safe again. The forcefield was reactivated and allowed the people to leave their homes with the help of Fate cleaning up these new Adaptoids.

---

The Dora Milaje, Wakanda's fierce warriors, guided everyone to Wakanda's majestic throne room. As they entered, all eyes were drawn to the imposing Throne at the heart of the room. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation as Fate made his grand entrance, joining Susan, Peter, Constantine, Johnny, and Ben who were already present. Shuri, poised and regal, stood near the throne, her presence commanding respect as they awaited the arrival of T'Challa.

"What kept you?" Constantine asked Fate. "You are late."

"A sorcerer is never late. Everyone else is simply early." Kent joked.

"T'Challa?" Shuri called out. That was when T'Challa appeared aside from her and Cisco, causing him to shriek. "How old are you that you continue to play hide and seek?" She asked her brother with a scoff. "You are too old."

"Thank you all for coming," T'Challa said as he approached the throne.

"Just tell us what you are going to tell us, drama King," Shuri asked of him.

"I asked you here to announce... I will be joining the Fantastic Four in their fight against this advisory known as Dr. Doom." T'Challa announced.

"What about the job of Black Panther here in Wakanda?" Okoye asks.

"The Black Panther will not turn his back on his people," T'Challa promises. "But this threat... it holds Vibranium. Victor Von Doom is a threat to Wakanda. He hired Klaue. So, we will be allowing the Fantastic Four, and their allies, access to our Kymoto Network. This is in hope of locating where Klaue has been sending our Vibranium, and where Dr. Doom is hiding."

"We thank you for your help," Peter tells T'Challa.

"And when the time comes for you to face this adversary, I hope that you do not hesitate to summon us," T'Challa promises as he hands a Kimoyo bead to the team. "Push it, and you will summon us."

"Does that mean we all get one?" Cisco asks with a hint of begging in his voice.

"Sorry, one exception is all we are allowing," Shuri told him in a joking manner.

"This is perfect," Peter said as he shook the Black Panther's hand. "And we would be more than lucky to have you fight on our side."

"And as a sign of our good faith..." T'Challa gestured to a canister that was being brought to them. It contained a strange-looking device that they hadn't seen before. "We give you some of our precious resources to experiment with."

Cisco grabbed onto Fate so as not to fall over. "Is he saying what I think he is saying?"

"We are giving you some of our Vibranium as we now are aware that this threat of Doom has some," T'Challa explained. "Use it as you wish. Build. Search for weaknesses in these Adaptoids you can exploit."

"I..." Peter chuckled. "Wow, I don't know what to say."

"Say 'thank you' and walk away before they change their minds," Susan stated.

"What she said," Peter said, getting a chuckle from the King of Wakanda.

---

As they soared through the skies, the precious cargo of Vibranium securely stowed in the FantastiCar, they made their way back to Central City. The futuristic vehicle elegantly maneuvered towards the Future Foundation headquarters and gently landed on the rooftop platform. They missed the chaos on the streets as Titus was caught by S.H.I.E.L.D. after the Guardians stopped him and called them in.

The rooftop access opened up, creating a path for the FantastiCar to gracefully descend into the bustling laboratories below with Fate and Johnny flying in and landing inside. Stepping out of the car, they were met with the warm embrace of their eagerly awaiting friends, who had gathered in anticipation of their triumphant return.

Amora was the first to approach them as she ran ahead and immediately engulfed Peter in a hug, getting him a little confused but returning it nonetheless. But Susan gave a look towards Amora, not liking how comfortable she was in her boyfriend's arms, but then decided to let it go. Fate removed his helmet and sighed as he was happy to take a break from the power.

"So, how did it go?" Caitlin asked.

"Uh, we are not entirely sure," Peter admitted. "But we made a new friend and allies with a nation against Doom."

"And I got something new to play with," Cisco said as he dragged the container full of Vibranium into his labs. "That mystical metal... Turns out that it is real!" He squealed as he ran to the labs. "We are going to have so much fun!"

Peter became afraid about what he might get into. "Uh, so, Bette, you might wanna go make sure that he doesn't blow up the labs or use all of it."

"On it," Bette said as she walked off and headed towards Cisco's labs.

"Mom!" Franklin cheered as he saw his mom and hugged her.

"Hey, sweetie," Susan said as she hugged her son.

Franklin then ran over to Peter and hugged his leg. "I am so glad you are back!"

"I was only gone for a day." Peter joked as he picked Val up.

"So, did anything exciting happen here while we were gone?" Susan wonders.

"Oh, you know, the usual, fought a bounty hunter who came for revenge, fixed our ship, did a few illegal actions, and saved the day." Quill recapped.

The five of them looked shocked while Constantine didn't seem to care as he just strolled off. "Wait, what?"

"Ohh, daddy, you've gotta see what I made!" Val said as she pushed out of her father's embrace and ran down the hall, dragging Peter with her. He laughed as he allowed her to drag him through the halls, wanting to see where she was going with this. "Come look!"

Peter watched as he was dragged into her bedroom and froze when he saw a giant gun-like weapon pointing at the doorway. "Whoa!" He froze and didn't even dare to move. "Val, mind explaining what this is?"

"Oh, this is something me and Mr. Rocket were working on," Val explained as she gestured to the device. "It's a prototype of our laser en-enforcer. Watch, you push this and-"

Val pressed the button, and Peter let out a piercing scream as he swiftly dodged the powerful laser beam. The unexpected intensity of the beam caused Val to feel its scorching heat almost melting her. The laser pierced through the wall, slicing through several layers, including the kitchen, and singed the microwave, prompting Johnny to scream and leap out of the way.

Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted from the wall, drawing their attention to the astonishing sight of the laser tearing through all the walls and even reaching the outside.

"Oops," Val murmured apologetically.

Peter sighed as he looked to the doorway where Sue was standing in shock. "You just had to give birth to a super genius?"

---

That evening, Peter was diligently crafting a new suit. Aware of the formidable challenge Doom posed, he understood the necessity of every possible edge to rescue Rachel. He was engrossed in integrating Vibranium into the suit's design, creating a garment capable of camouflage and sound dampening, utilizing techniques Shuri had shared.

This suit was vastly different from his previous suits which were vastly colorful, minus the Symbiote suit, which this suit derived a lot of characteristics. The green is prominent on the spider insignia which covers the entire torso and stretches around the back. Four of the legs also break off around the spider head, and line down to the hands and upper thighs. Green lights are also found on the feet's midpoint. The eyes are also wide with green shining through them. Black covers the rest of the suit, with slightly lighter tones on the feet and upper chest. There is also a slight grey feature on the belt area that breaks in the middle.

As he toiled into the night, Susan came by, observing his intense focus. She exhaled a worried sigh, recognizing his excessive efforts could lead to exhaustion. It was clear to her that she had to intervene to help him unwind.

Susan walked over to him and stood over his shoulders where she pulled him back. "Peter... you need to give it a rest."

"I can't," Peter whispered as he relaxed into her touch. "Rachel is still in his clutches... who knows what that monster could be doing to her?"

"Yes, but you won't be able to help her if you burn out," Susan said. "Come to bed. Get some rest."

"I can't," Peter whispered. "I can't get my mind off of it."

Susan then smiled as she knew this would happen. She knew the kids were in bed, and everyone else had returned to their beds for the night. She reached up and pulled the zipper of her suit slowly. "I might have a way." She said seductively. She then showed off the sexy black lingerie she was wearing underneath her suit that she put on to surprise him. "Still can't get your mind off it?" She then strutted her way over to their room, closing her suit with her arms. "You've got five minutes."

Peter froze and looked over to the stealth suit and over to Susan. He then jumped up as he dropped the tools. He couldn't do anything else, he might need Cisco to look over the data, and he did indeed need a rest... not that he was getting any.