WEB OF REALITY:
It was a quiet night at the web of reality. Well, as close to night as it got. Every 12 hours or so the light that emanated from the vast and ever-growing multiverse, would slowly fade into a soft blue, a light that seemed to sit at the perfect wavelength to sleep. So for those who lived in the web of reality, it was a very quiet night.
Alice Dean stirred from her slumber, after a few minutes of tossing in turning, she got out of her bed and decided to take a bit of a walk, to get herself back into the right state to fall back to sleep. As she made her way down the hall, admiring out the windows the vast beauty that surrounded this small little island in a sea of time. The different universe floated in patterns that stirred something deep in her soul. That primal part that made man first look up into the stars and wonder what mystic wonders hid themselves in the heavens. She looked over and saw the Tony Stark of the former Multiverse-S, the Iron Spectre.
"Couldn't sleep either?" She asked.
"I don't sleep." Tony responded his gaze not breaking from the wider multiverse, "I haven't slept in a long time."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Alice said, genuinely feeling for the man that she met so many years ago. Back when their biggest concern hers was stopping Thanos from wiping out half the multiverse. "Do you ever miss home?"
"Every day," Tony said, his words filled with a mournful sadness. "I did what I had to do to save everyone I cared about, but the best I can do is keep resurrecting the dead."
Alice didn't say anything, she knew he was right. The entire time she knew him it seemed nearly every fight they had been in they had lost. Only to find a way to reset things. Sure, everyone you loved was technically alive. But you could only go see your friends and family die so many times before it started taking a toll on you.
"We won't let that happen," Alice said, putting a hand on Tony's shoulder. He didn't say anything. Instead, in a cold voice he said.
"The stars are going out."
"What?" Alice responded, confused by his response.
"The stars are going out." He said again, in the same tone.
Alice looked out and sure enough, the various universes seemed to be blinking out of existence, one by one. She felt Tony's hand grab her arm and she whipped around to see Tony staring her down, his eyes consumed with an eerie green. He opened his mouth opened and a distorted and terrifying voice poured out.
"The stars are going out, Alice Dean, they all fell into the darkness. They fell into the pit and you can't stop it!" Alice was terrified, her heart beating out of her chest. "You can't stop it, Alice!" Suddenly the voice became overpowering, Alice felt like a little girl, she couldn't do anything. She couldn't hide. Tony continued his demonic cacophony. "YOU CAN'T STOP THE DARKNESS FROM CONSUMING YOU TOO! ARE YOU READY TO DIE AGAIN?! THE GRAVE WILL NOT ACCEPT YOU, ALICE DEAN! THERE WILL BE NO REST FOR YOU OR YOUR FRIENDS! YOU CANNOT ESCAPE THE DARKNESS!"
Alice screamed and bolted up in her bed. Sure enough, it was still night. She breathed heavily, she couldn't catch her breath. She was terrified. There was a knock on her door, and the head of Eli peaked in.
"Hey," he said with a worried look on his face, "I heard you yelling, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," Alice responded as she still struggled to gain control of her breathing. "I'm fine."
Eli looked at her and clearly didn't believe any of it. "Come on, let's go for a walk." He said, gesturing with his hands.
Reluctantly, Alice stepped out of her bed and followed Eli out into the hall. They followed the same path she had walked through in her dream. She half expected to see Tony standing, looking out at the multiverse. She was grateful she didn't.
"I still have nightmares sometimes," Eli said.
The statement caught Alice off guard. "What?" She asked.
"I still have nightmares about our past." Eli said. "all the things we've been through. I swear, sometimes I'm back on Earth-1, Emily still dying in my arms…." He trailed off.
Alice thought back to the battle with Malkin. She wishes she could say that she remembered how much it hurt to see Emily, Lane, Kyle, and Hunter all seemingly give their lives to save everyone. But she couldn't because she was dead long before that final confrontation. The two of them stopped at a balcony. Eli leaned against the railing and gazed out at the interdimensional beauty.
"Malkin had already forced me out of my own head by that point." Alice said, "I tried my best to push back, but I just couldn't. Do you have any idea what it's like to feel someone else thoughts in your own head?"
Eli looked at her with eyes that suddenly looked far older than his young face. "I have some idea," Eli said with a small little smirk. "Being inside the Doctor's mind was...lonely. It was like I was dead. Sure, to the outside I was still Eli. But ever since we got plucked from our world and thrown into this world of interdimensional conflict, it was like I was dead. Some new man stole my name and ran away."
Suddenly he felt a set of soft fingers intertwine with his own. He looked over and saw Alice's hand clasping his on the railing. He looked up at her.
"I thought that-" Eli started.
"We'll just keep this one to ourselves," Alice said, looking out at the beauty of the multiverse as well, "just our little secret." She smiled at him, it was warm and reassuring. Eli looked back out at the multiverse. "I dreamt the stars were going out. I couldn't shake the feeling that something dark was coming."
Eli turned looked at her, and looked back at the 'stars'. "The stars seem pretty bright to me Alice." He said, and he felt her head lean against his shoulder.
The two of them stood on that balcony staring out at the stars, and though they thought they were alone, Madame Web quietly stood in the shadows. She watched the two with a warm expression, she would keep their secret. However, Alice's words troubled her.
Web decided that against her gut, she would look to Alice's future, to see if perhaps that dream was something darker. Madame Web closed her eyes and in her mind's eye, she reached out toward the girl. Suddenly, she felt crushed under the wave of a coming darkness. She felt, as if inside her very bones, every world dying all at once. She saw a tombstone bearing Eli's name in a cemetery, as the other warriors stood around in mourning black. She saw the woman the Warriors referred to as 'Malkin' sitting on a throne in a place that felt so familiar to her. She saw the web of reality burning with purple fire. She saw Alice standing in a sea of darkness, looking up at someone.
"I did what I had to do." She said before she was consumed with a blinding white light.
And finally, she saw the two warriors embraced in a kiss while destruction and fire danced around them. Suddenly the vision was over. Madame Web looked back to Eli and Alice, they still stood there quietly, and contently. Right now there was peace. But Madame Web knew something very dark was coming. Something that she feared no one was ready for.
CENTRAL CITY: 7 YEARS AGO (BEFORE PROTOCOL YJ WAS ACTIVATED):
The scene was still smoldering as the heroes stood amidst the aftermath of the apartment complex blaze. The fire had been sparked by a seemingly innocent accident, caused by a young boy who had recently discovered his ability to manipulate and create fire. Unbeknownst to the world, the boy, Isaac Garcia, possessed this extraordinary talent, kept hidden by his concerned parents. However, the consequences of concealing such a volatile power became tragically clear as the uncontrolled flames raged through the building.
In the midst of the chaos, officers and firefighters worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of everyone involved. As the situation began to stabilize, Barry approached Isaac in his Flash attire, who was visibly shaken by the realization of the danger he had unwittingly unleashed.
"Hey, kid." Barry approached him calmly. "Quite the mess."
"I'm sorry," Issac tells him.
"It could have been worse," Peter said as he approached and sat down beside the kid. He got what it was like to attack people with powers he couldn't control accidentally. "We get what it's like. To wake up and your whole world has changed."
"All too well." Barry chuckled.
"These powers, they are going to be a part of you. Well..." Peter knew that there was a metahuman cure. "At least until you are old enough to decide to take the cure."
"Or maybe you can start to understand these powers." Barry went another way, showing the kid there are two ways to go. "People like us, I believe we get powers for a reason."
"Sometimes for better or worse," Peter tells the kid. "This is your decision. But...your life is going to change. The world has its own opinions about us. But what you do with these powers of yours...they're yours to decide."
That evening, Issac made his way into a colossal, deserted warehouse. The surrounding area was dotted with neglected spaces, rarely visited except by the odd vagrant wandering the streets. Once inside, Issac shut the warehouse door behind him. He paused to take several deep breaths, focusing on mastering his newfound abilities. Aware of the danger they posed, he was determined to harness them without causing harm. The desolation of the building provided a safe haven for him to practice, free from the fear of igniting an unintended fire.
Issac conjured a ball of fire within his clenched fist, swirling it with ease before releasing it into his open palm, where it continued to dance obediently. Extending his other hand, he willed the flame to transfer, and to his satisfaction, it glided across seamlessly. This indeed proved his mastery over the flames he summoned, meaning he could control it to his will. The next challenge, however, would be to ascertain whether he could wield the same influence over fire not of his own making. And the only way to do that was to conjure some fire without his powers.
Over time, he stealthily returned to the factory, his family none the wiser about his activities. His dedication to training paid off as he gradually honed his mastery over fire. He discovered he could summon flames at will, shaping them to his desires. The exact nature of his ability was unclear—perhaps he could ignite the very heat in the air where he concentrated, creating fire from nothing. This power opened up a realm of possibilities, and during his experiments, he inadvertently incinerated quite a few garments. It became apparent that he needed heat-resistant clothing for further exploration of his fiery talents.
As time progressed, Issac remained unwavering in his training beyond the era of Brainiac's attempts to annihilate their world. He now donned a new suit of his own creation. It was completely black, from the boots to the gloves, and covered the main torso. However, the chest bore a dark orange hue, with the design extending slightly down the sleeves. The area around the chest was black, reaching up to the neck, marked by a fire insignia at the point where the black began.
To hide his identity, Issac would char the skin around his eyes, revealing that his entire body is flame-resistant. He started practicing martial arts, reducing his reliance on his pyrokinetic abilities. However, he cleverly integrated his martial skills with his control over fire to develop new techniques.
In fact, it was his martial training that finally helped him come up with what he would call himself. He has begun to call himself by the name of Firefighter.
PRESENT DAY:
After fighting Sunshine, Barry was brought to P.A.R.K.E.R. Industries after everyone heard on the news the Flash collapsed in the middle of a crisis. They didn't want anything like that happening again, and they knew it would be best to take precautions to make a full scan to be sure he was okay.
"Gideon, run a full diagnostic," Caitlin asked.
"Running full body diagnostic scan," Gideon said. "Multiple biological abnormalities detected."
"What?" Barry asked, a little too loud. "What?" He asked quietly. "What kind of abnormalities?"
"Moderate signs of arthritis, hearing loss, osteoporosis, high cholesterol, and heartburn." Gideon listed.
Barry felt his chest in confusion. "That's what that is?"
Peter-1 looked at the computers and burst out laughing. "Oh, Bare, I'm sorry to have to break this to you, but there's nothing wrong with you."
"I hear the laughter, but nothing funny," Patty commented.
"Yeah, why did he collapse?" Kara wonders.
"Barry...is getting old." Peter-1 gave him the news, and he then showed the scan results on the screens. "Seems the years of running around have finally caught up to you. Your organs, cardiovascular system, bones, and joints are all beginning to finally show signs of aging."
"You serious?" Patty asked in shock.
"Why so suddenly?" Frost wonders.
"It could be a number of things." Peter-1 shrugged as he showed some messages. "I contacted Wally, Jesse, Harry, and Jay. All of them aren't exactly sure, but their main theory is...everything we've experienced. Crisis, Battleworld, and most recently Weirdmageddon. It might have done something to your connection to the Speedforce and either weakened it or had some sort of effect. Basically, you've been running too much for too long."
"So...what do we do?" Patty asks.
"I don't think there is a cure for aging," Peter-1 tells her. "Sorry to say, Bare. But...you might be the next hero to retire."
"So...there is a chance that Barry's day's as the Flash..." Kamilla seemed to be following.
"Might be coming to an end," Cisco followed.
Barry was shocked to hear that and eyed the Flash costume in fear. What kind of life is there without the Flash?
GOTHAM:
Kate Kane was leading the two of them down the halls of one of the many prisons in the world made and retrofitted to hold the most dangerous of Metahumans. She entered the cell and found Eobard Thawne, the Reverse Flash himself, in the cell with power-dampening walls and even an electric floor.
"Last day here, Thawne," Kate told him. "How do you feel?"
Come to gloat, Kane?" Thawne asked with a scoff. "I thought you were better than that."
"Maybe you don't know me as well as you thought," Kate stated as she strolled out, finding Terry was waiting for her at the car. "Security is still on high alert. We're not taking any chances with him."
"You still want me to head out tomorrow with them?" Terry asked as he and Kate entered the car.
"We're not taking any chances with them," Kate stated. "They're gonna head to the RAFT, and from there, they're gonna go to their new prison, and we don't want any of these criminals escaping."
"That we can agree on." Terry agrees as they come across Nora West-Allen, who is now the head of security for Thawne and other inmates. "Hey, all good?"
"Like she said, we are not letting any of them have the chance to escape," Nora confirmed. "I let him escape once, but never again."
"Good," Kate said with a sigh. "Good luck tomorrow."
CENTRAL CITY:
Ashley dedicated her time to working at F.E.A.S.T., a community center focused on providing support and resources to those in need. At the center, she collaborated with Miles to ensure that everything ran smoothly. Her passion for helping children find loving homes and foster families stemmed from her own experiences growing up in an orphanage that lacked care and support. Ashley was determined to prevent other children from enduring the same hardships she faced. Her ultimate goal was to create a safe and nurturing environment for every child, offering them the opportunity to thrive just as she had eventually found.
"Everything going alright here?" Ashley asked a few new kids.
"Yeah." One of the kids said.
"I don't understand why they left us." The elder of the two said.
"There's a lot of reasons, kid," Ashley said as she sat down. "My mom gave me away because she didn't think she could raise me right. I went a lot of my life not understanding why they gave me up, and...it led me down some bad roads."
"And look where you ended up." Tommy approached, spooking Ashley. "Hey, sis."
"Tommy!" Ashley was surprised to see him, approaching and hugging her brother. "Oh, it's so good to see you. I heard the Foundation was attacked?"
"Yeah, some thief broke in. She's already being processed." Tommy confirmed.
"What were they after?" Ashley asked.
"It was probably our new power source," Tina explained as she showed the police where Sunshine was trying to break into. "It's a revolutionary power generator that can generate enough power for a city for years."
"We're calling it the ARC," April explained further. "Artificially Radience Capacity."
"Okay, and what could it be used for other than powering a city?" Yuri asks.
"If anything...a bomb?" Tina guess.
"That's something we are definitely gonna have to take as evidence for safekeeping," Maggie commented. "If that's okay.."
"It's not gonna explode," Tina promised. "People would literally have to mess with it for it to be turned into a bomb."
Maggie nodded as she took the device and placed it into an evidence bag. As they were leaving, there was a ripple in the water of the lake that was in the koi pond of the facility.
NATIONAL CITY:
Alex was now in a difficult situation as she was currently looking at the King of Wakanda and his prince with a handful of his royal guards protecting them. Angelica, Roberta, and Cessily were starting to side with the Dream Team, none of them sure what they were going to do now.
"You know, it took us three years on the job to piss off foreign relations," Morg'Ann commented. "You guys lasted a little longer, good job."
"Your Highness, you have to understand that you attacked a crater that was on American soil." Alex tried to defend what went down on that ship. "And in my team's defense, they have never heard of the Black Panther, and we've only heard legends of it. We never thought the rumors that Wakanda was..."
"The technically advanced civilization that is eons ahead of their time?" Brainiac asks.
"Basically," Alex confirmed.
"Wherever Wakanda finds themselves, that's where we have authority," T'Challa stated. "The resource that was on that ship belongs to us."
"Yes, we understand that, sir. Our team was only defending what they thought was someone running from the scene with stolen resources."
"It wasn't just the Vibranium that we were after." Prince Azari informed them. "It was the person who stole it."
"Wasn't that the Boomerang guy?" Roberta asked.
"No, it was a force we couldn't fight, young one," T'Challa informed her. "A pack of Hunters."
"That's what they called themselves," Azari explained, flipping his arm and revealing footage of Wakanda under attack. "They were coordinated, and knew where we hid our supplies."
"He managed to get away with only a fragment of the shipment, where they were then met with this Boomerang man."
"So, Boomerang was working with someone else?" Angelica asked. "That's interesting."
"And we want to bring the man responsible to Wakanda to face Justice for their crimes," Azari stated. "Meaning I'm going to be sticking around."
"I'm sorry, what?" Gwen asks. "The prince is hanging around?"
"It's nothing personal, but if outside people got their hands on Vibranium, it could cause a problem," T'Challa explained his reasoning. "And I need to get back to Wakanda."
"Well...we'll be sure to help the prince settle," Alex said before coming up with an idea. She turned to the group of younger heroes. "Actually...maybe some people his own age would be better."
"Huh?" They asked.
Central City:
Maggie was currently sitting in the back of the transport truck making their way towards the station. As the car was driving down the road, a sudden wave of fire appeared in the middle of the road and ended up causing the vehicle to be sent trampling and crashing.
Maggie crashed and groaned when the car finally finished tossing. Then she was left watching as her body healed itself, thanks to the DNA regeneration. She looked up and things were blurry, but she watched as someone was scorching the door handles off.
Her partner in the car aimed the anti-Metahuman gun but was already blasted by the fire that came and attacked. Maggie gasped and stayed down as she heard her cry in pain. Then someone came in and tried to grab the power source, but the sirens seemed to spook them, leaving the truck and Maggie. The fires outside of the car started to die down, and she heard someone walking off.
Dawn sped onto the scene, and she happened to see someone walking away from the scene. She however got distracted when she saw Maggie was hurt.
"Maggie!" Dawn cried as she helped her friend. "What happened?"
"They came for the power source." Maggie groaned.
Maggie was brought to the Frankie-May Foundation to get looked over by Violet, aka Halo, as she was helping out with the facility from time. But she was recently hired as a DEO agent since her powers can help with transporting and infiltrating.
"How does that feel?" Violet asked.
"Fine, I guess." Maggie shrugged. "Have we found anything of who attacked us?"
"Lyla?" Tommy called to the screens.
Lyla then appeared in her holographic form, floating around. "We pulled up the security footage." She then showed the footage, which was glitching out. "Seems the heat was damaging the footage. But...we found this."
They saw some footage of Firefighter walking around the scene, but the footage glitched out. They didn't see the full scene, but from what they saw, it was Firefighter who caused the crash and attempted to steal the ARC.
"Who's that?" Violet asks.
"Ah, this guy is some new guy." Armando recognized him. "ARGUS has been keeping eyes on him, some fire Metahuman who can create and manipulate fire."
"I'm back in town for one day, and we're already dealing with two different guys with fire or heat-based powers?" Aster asked with a scoff. "How did you guys get so far without me?"
"Let's just focus on finding this guy," Violet tells them.
"Well, if his powers are based on heat, maybe we can use that," Tina commented, looking at the computers. "Lyla, see if you can do a search for thermal signatures."
"On it, boss," Lyla said as she started searching for rising temperatures in the city.
They watched as the computers started tracking heat signatures in the city. She started with basic heat signatures of a human body, then started to slowly rise with the temperature showing minimal and more minimal places. The most recent places are the obvious examples like factories and other facilities.
But then one of them stood out to the group. There was one that showed a spot of extreme heat, matching that of Mick Rory's heat gun. It was in an abandoned area with not much around, and that means they figured it was either a wildfire they should get to or their guy.
"That's him," Tommy commented. "Gotta be."
"Let's suit up. See what happened." Tina said as they saw Halo open a portal.
Issac was in his makeshift facility and fixed a glove on his fist as he tried to fix it. He then groaned as he clutched his fist and felt like his knuckles were sore from training recently. He walked over and grabbed a washcloth from the bucket he had brought to the warehouse. He uses it to clean the scorch marks off of his face that he uses as a mask.
As he was doing so, a breach opened silently as a handful of the Parker siblings dropped out and began to circle him without him noticing. As he finished wiping the soot off of his face, he immediately began to feel a someone was watching him.
"Firefighter?" Tommy called out, spooking Issac as he spun around and saw Young Justice standing there. "We need you to come with us."
"Why?" Issac asked as he eyed the group.
"That accident today?" Tina explained why they were there. "We know you caused it."
"Huh?" Issac asked in shock. "You think I caused that fire downtown? I only got there after everything."
"Right, there's another fire Metahuman in town." Sub-Zero wasn't believing it. "Dude, I'm having a hard time believing that there are two, don't try and convince me there's a third."
"It is highly unlikely," V.I.V.I.A.N. replied.
Issac saw they weren't going to be leaving without him in cuffs and sighed. "You want to do it this way? Fine."
Issac then lit his fists with fire, sending several bolts their way. Sub-Zero blocked it with an ice wall, and Tommy and Tina leaped to dodge the strike. Dawn sped over and moved Daniel out of the line of fire.
Sub-Zero took the opening to shoot out a blast of ice which wounded Issac. He groaned as he never felt absolute zero. Seems that was the only temperature he couldn't block. Burning the ice off of his hand, he eyed Sub-Zero. Deciding to use one of the moves he perfected, Issac quickly swirled his hands around, quickly creating a cloud of smoke, whilst Sub-Zero tried to shoot him with ice, he managed to escape.
"Where'd he go?" Sub-Zero asked.
"He got away?" Tommy was surprised to see. "Did he turn into smoke and vanish?"
"Or more likely he has secret compartments to help him sneak in and out," Tina said, gesturing to a latch in the floor under the rug. "Who has fire powers, and decides to put a rug down?"
"Maybe to get the soot off his boots?" Tommy shrugged.
"We're you guys always this distracted, or is it only with me being gone?" Sub-Zero asked, recognizing how easily distracted they become. "Come on, let's find him."
Sub-Zero then leads the way as he heads down the emergency escape to see where it leads. Issac quickly made his way out of the exit from the other end, making his way into the streets to escape. He reached for his phone, scrolling and calling someone he knew.
"Hey, listen, I don't know if you've heard about what happened," Issac said as he ran down the street. "I'm coming to you. We need to talk."
Back on the boat where Boomerang made his appearance, and the Vibranium was taken from, the Syndicate was currently guarding the boat on behalf of the DEO to make sure there wasn't anything else dangerous in the ship.
"I can't believe this is what we're reduced to," Carolyn stated. "Checking cargo containers."
"Well, it was either this or face prison." Keemia reminded her, forming into her human form after checking the containers. "You act like it's the worst thing to check boxes."
"Well, I feel a little better, making up for the programming that they made me do in Black Hole." Rebecca was proud of her work, especially after everything else she was forced to do over the years. "It's not perfect, but it's honest work."
"Hey, where'd Misty go?" Keemia noticed they were missing a member.
Carolyn scoffed and tapped her comms. "Misty, you still checking the perimeter?" She then heard nothing but static. "Misty? Mysterio?"
"I don't like that," Francine said as she looked around. "Should we check it out?"
"Yeah." Carolyn nodded. "Go check on her."
Francine zipped across the ship and reached where Misty was supposed to be stationed. She looked around and saw there were a few crates that were damaged, which didn't help get off the sight that this wasn't a simple malfunctioning equipment.
As she was looking around, there was no sign of Misty anywhere. "Misty?" she called out as she kept looking. "Where are you?"
As she was walking, she ended up standing on some sort of glass, causing her to look down and see there was some sort of glass. She leaned down and picked up a fragment of the glass. She then was shocked when she realized that this was the glass from the Mysterio mask.
Francine then started to get seriously worried as she looked and noticed there was a sign of blood on the floor. She then started to feel afraid and started to spark electricity as she looked around.
"Misty?" Francine called out. She then strolled down the hallway, trying to see where Misty was dragged off to and by who. "Misty, if this is an illusion, then this is taking things too far."
As she kept walking down the halls, she accidentally tripped some sort of tripwire. She looked down and wondered what that was there for. But that ended badly as it turned out that the tripwire was holding some sort of generator from going off.
When the generator went off, Francine then felt like her powers were being drained. She then looked and saw indeed she was losing her electricity.
"What's going on?" Francine asks. She then looked around and started to try and run off, trying to regain her powers. "Who's doing this?"
Racing down the expansive corridor, she took a sharp turn at the corner, only to be abruptly halted by a searing pain in her abdomen. Gasping for air, she glanced down to find a blade protruding from her stomach.
Then a large hand grasped her throat, throwing her aside as if she was nothing. Leaving her to die alone.
Rebecca meticulously examined the containers scattered throughout the ship, searching for any clue that might reveal the destination of the Vibranium shipment. Her concern grew as she realized that Francine and Misty had still not reported back, leaving her with an uneasy sensation.
"Ryder, you heard from Francine?" Carolyn contacted.
"No, nothing," Rebecca reported in. "I'm starting to get a little worried."
Keemia let out a derisive snort as she transitioned from her sandy form back into her human shape. "You all are getting too paranoid. I'm certain—" Her words were cut short by a sharp sting in her neck, prompting a grimace. Glancing down, she noticed an object resembling a dart embedded there. "What the hell?"
Without warning, flames burst forth from Keemia's hand. A scream tore from her lips as she fell back, the fire spreading to her neck. Her form shifted, flesh giving way to sand, and amidst the searing heat, she began to turn into glass.
Carolyn and Rebecca ran across the ship to figure out what was going on, but by the time they reached Keemia, she was nothing more than a glass statue.
"Oh, god," Rebecca said in terror as she looked around. "What's going on?!" She then aimed her arm cannon and looked around. "I mean, what the hell is going on?!"
"We need to contact the Director," Carolyn said as she hit the comms. "Director? Director, come in!" She then got nothing but static. "Gah! Long-range communications are down."
"We're on our own!" Rebecca didn't like the sound of that. "Who's capable of doing that?"
"I have a feeling that we weren't guarding anything." Carolyn started to have a terrible thought. "I think we walked into a trap."
Rebecca then managed to pick up an incoming projectile, causing her to shriek as she and Carolyn jumped out of the way and they saw a spear implant itself into the ship's hull. The spear itself was made out of pure Vibranium. Seems like the shipment that Azari took wasn't the only fragment on board.
"This isn't Wakanda doing this, is it?" Rebecca asks.
"Why let the Dream Team 2 walk, and come after us?" Carolyn questioned. "Why kill us?"
"It isn't Wakanda!" A muscular voice called, getting them back on edge as Rebecca aimed her cannon around her, while Carolyn readied her arms to strike. "You have the honor of proving your worth. To kill me."
"And who are you?" Carolyn asks.
"Who am I?" He asked softly, slamming into the top of the container. They both looked upward and saw the greatest hunter alive. "I'm disappointed."
Rebecca did a quick search using her scan processor and saw who it was. "Kraven!" She proclaimed in terror. "What do you want?"
"Kraven the Hunter, what do you think he wants?!" Carolyn cried as she aimed her mechanical arms. "But you're not going to get it out of me! I'm not going to turn into one of your trophies!"
Kraven smiled as he seemed pleased with her answer. "Good. We shall see."
Kraven then leaped down and landed in front of them, grabbing his spear back. He seemed to be waiting for them to make the first move, striking when they go for their attack.
Carolyn's eyes widened as she failed to grasp the true power of Vibranium. She extended her arms in an attempt to strike Kraven, but he swiftly maneuvered, wielding his spear with precision. The metallic arms were no match for his skill as he deftly sliced through two of them. As the severed arms fell to the ground, Carolyn winced at the clean cuts, finally understanding the incredible strength of Vibranium.
"Is this..." Kraven picked up the arm he separated from the body. "...all you can do?" He then scoffed and threw the arm back at Carolyn. "Pathetic!"
Carolyn then ducked out of the way so that Rebecca could step forward. She was preparing herself to fight back and aimed her cannon.
"Stand down! Now!" Rebecca demanded him. "One blast from this cannon, and you're dead!"
"Then take the shot!" Kraven demanded her. "Do it!"
Rebecca obeyed his command and unleashed a powerful blast from her arm cannon. However, Kraven displayed incredible agility and managed to evade the blast with a swift and graceful movement. Undeterred, Rebecca swiftly switched her weapon from a cannon to a missile launcher and unleashed a barrage of explosive projectiles at Kraven.
Kraven charged towards Rebecca, deftly using his spear to deflect the missiles. In a swift motion, he advanced on her, giving her no time to react before the back of his spear struck her, sending her tumbling into a crate. With a fierce thrust, he plunged his spear into the cannon, eliciting a sharp cry of pain from Rebecca.
Kraven let out a sigh as he observed the defeat of his opponents. "Such a disappointment," he muttered, approaching Carolyn with a sneer. "I was promised a challenge worthy of my skills. Instead, all I've encountered is a squandering of my time."
"Sorry to disappoint you," Carolyn scoffed.
Kraven then grabbed her by the throat. He then started to choke Carolyn, causing her to try and fight back with her arms, but all of them were useless against Kraven.
With one swift twist of his wrist, Kraven snapped Carolyn's neck. Rebecca was shocked by this and looked down at her damaged arm, and the automatic repairs were taking time to repair her arm. Kraven then threw Carolyn away like she was nothing as that's all she was to him.
Rebecca let out a soft whimper, struggling to wrench the spear from her arm cannon, her thoughts racing with the hope of making an escape. However, Kraven was quick to act, stepping on her head and pressing her face into the steel of the ship, a groan escaping her as she felt the weight of his boot forcing her down.
Kraven sneered, "I anticipated a tougher challenge from the so-called Syndicate."
"Please..." Rebecca implored, her voice quivering. Tears welled up in her eyes as she pleaded, "Don't do this."
Kraven, however, remained unmoved by the pleas, his stomp forceful enough to compromise her systems. This was causing the systems triggering her brain functions to begin to shut down and cause an imminent shutdown. Her systems initiated a gradual power-down sequence, and her red eye flickered sporadically before succumbing to darkness.
Kraven sighed in sorrow at how easily he managed to take out the Syndicate. "They were not the ones..."
Central City:
Peter stood solemnly at the tranquil cemetery, the gentle breeze whispering through the trees. He found himself standing at the weathered tombstone of Frankie Snow-Parker, formerly known as Frankie Kane before Peter adopted her. Her decision to change her name reflected her desire to leave behind the hardships of her past and embrace a new life with Peter and Caitlin. The day she entered their lives had been a turning point, and despite the pain it ultimately brought, they cherished the bond they shared with her.
A decade had passed since her untimely departure, yet the ache of her absence still lingered within Peter. The weight of the unfulfilled promises he had made to protect her and the haunting realization of his inability to save her continued to burden him. Despite his unwavering dedication and vows to always stand by her, he had been powerless to save her when she needed him the most.
"I miss you," Peter whispered as he sat on the grass before the tombstone. "Miles definitely misses you. He doesn't say it, but I can tell." He sighed as Miles was definitely taking it the worst. "I try to help him out, but... it's just hard." He tried to catch Frankie up on everything that had been going down. "Seems Barry might be getting too old to be running." He stayed in silence, waiting for a response. "If you were here, you would find it funny."
Peter suddenly heard a distinct sound of crunching leaves behind him, prompting him to turn around swiftly. To his surprise, it was Felicia, offering a small, tentative smile as she made her way towards him.
Puzzled, Peter couldn't help but wonder why Felicia was there. After all, he hadn't disclosed the location of his secluded lunch spot to anyone. This place was his sanctuary during work breaks, a tranquil haven where he sought solace and uninterrupted moments of peace.
"Nobody knows I am here," Felicia assured as she approached. She looked down at the gravestone and sighed. "I don't think they know what today is for you."
"The day I adopted her." Peter sighed as he looked down at the gravestone of his daughter. "I...I can't get over it." He confessed to Frankie. "It's not just that I can't figure out this pain will stay with me, it will always be a part of me. After I lost everyone... Ben, May, Ronnie, Stein, Oliver, and just about everyone else I have ever met."
"You have suffered a lot of loss," Felicia said. "And it must be hard to let go."
Peter looked at her and reached to hold her hand. "There are some things that are worth holding onto."
Felicia chuckled as she saw what he was getting at. "Ah, ever wondered how life would have changed if I told you?" She wondered, thinking when she learned she was having his child. "If I told you about Ashley?"
"A lot," Peter admitted. "I like to imagine that the hardships I face are good days for another Peter Parker out there. I suffer so that other versions of me can live in peace."
"I can't tell if that is a good way to see things or a terrible way to live." Felicia scoffed with a smile.
"I see her face. Almost like she is still here, always at the corner of my eye." Peter whispered in sorrow. "I know it sounds crazy..."
"No," Felicia promised he didn't sound crazy. "You sound like a mourning father."
Peter gazed at Felicia with a sense of disbelief, marveling at the winding path that had led them to this particular moment. They had once found themselves on opposite sides of the law, engaging in playful flirtation whenever the opportunity arose, only for Felicia to shatter his heart ultimately.
Yet, here they were now, with Felicia being one of the many individuals Peter knew he could depend on. She had seamlessly transitioned from a past love interest to a cherished friend and an integral part of the eccentric family they had grown. As he reached out, Peter drew Felicia closer, offering her the comfort of resting her head on his shoulder. It was a small gesture, but one that spoke volumes, conveying a sense of mutual support and understanding between them.
Alba Garcia, a waitress at the Liquid Kitty, smoothly navigated her way through the bustling bar, deftly balancing a tray of drinks as she made her way outside for her break. Once outside, she leaned against the brick wall, her eyes scanning the dimly lit alley. With a practiced nonchalance, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a cigarette, her gaze flicking back and forth as if she were waiting for someone.
Suddenly, from the rooftop of a nearby building, a figure plunged toward the ground, leaving a trail of sparks in his wake. With a controlled burst of energy, Issaic landed gracefully, the impact softened by his extraordinary powers. Spotting his sister, he sauntered over to her, concern evident in his eyes as he noticed what she was carrying. He gently reminded her of the potential dangers associated with using such substances.
"You know more people die from smoking than from car crashes?" Issac asked her.
Abla scoffed and threw the cigarette away. "Couldn't have been me to be born with such a cool power."
"Yeah, it is not so cool right now," Issac said as he ran to her side. "I'm being framed."
"For what?" Alba asks.
"Something went down during the transport," Issac explained. "I got there, couldn't really help the people inside, but either after or before I got there, and tried to steal something."
"What?" Alba asks.
"I don't know, but I gotta figure it out," Issac said.
As they were engrossed in conversation, a sudden explosion reverberated down the street, startling Issac into instinctively shoving Alba out of harm's way. In doing so, he ended up taking the brunt of the blast himself. He skidded across the pavement, emitting a pained groan as he registered the scorch mark seared onto his chest. Turning his gaze towards the source of the explosion, he beheld a new figure materializing out of thin air.
The mysterious individual was adorned in a sleek, form-fitting black and yellow costume, reminiscent of a bumblebee. The entire suit was a striking combination of yellow and black, accentuated by a waist belt securing a set of wings affixed to her back. The wings bore a striking resemblance to those of a bee. Goggles shielded her eyes, and her hair was neatly gathered in a ponytail, ensuring it stayed clear of her face during intense action.
Completing her ensemble were military-style boots, along with gloves equipped with blasters attached to her wrists. These blasters emitted energy blasts designed to incapacitate rather than kill, demonstrating her proficiency in non-lethal combat tactics.
"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Issac asked as he stood back up. "Atom's winged cousin?"
"The name...is Bumblebee!" She proclaimed, revealing it was actually Karen Beecher from the Frankie-May Foundation. She then started to fly, shrinking down as she charged her blasters. "But you can call me your defeat!"
Isaac found himself in a state of confusion as he instinctively released a burst of fire, hoping to fend off his assailant. However, Karen skillfully maneuvered around the flames and delivered a powerful punch to Isaac's face, causing him to stagger backward in astonishment at the force of the blow.
As Isaac glanced over, he caught sight of Alba making a hasty retreat, providing a sense of relief that she was out of harm's way. Determined to defend himself, Isaac conjured a swirling vortex of fire to envelop himself before unleashing it in Karen's direction, resembling a serpent in flight. Undeterred, Karen grew in size and utilized the nearby wall to propel herself forward, closing in on Isaac with menacing intent.
Issac caught sight of her approaching and swiftly swatted her away like a bee, causing her to collide with the wall. She let out a pained groan as she plummeted from the wall and sprawled on the ground, visibly hurt.
"Ow..." Karen winced as she felt her arm, feeling like she might have sprained it. "Well...at least we know most of the suit works."
Issac approached with two fists of fire. "I don't know what I did to you, and it is against my code to kill. But I am-"
Issac was then shot in the back, with the Boot now strapping to the ground and causing him to wince as he saw the belt wrap around him. He was then dropped to his knees due to the electricity knocking him out.
Behind him was V.I.V.I.A.N. and Ollie who brought the Boot through a portal Violet opened up for them. "Who's she?" Ollie asked, gesturing to Karen.
Karen gave a sheepish smile. "Uh...one of you?"
V.I.V.I.A.N. and Ollie eyed one another, even though he wore an emotionless mask, they still somehow managed to tell what the other was thinking. They were going to have to take Karen and Issac back with them to figure out what went down.
ATLANTIS:
Tula found herself gracefully gliding through the crystal-clear waves of her oceanic home, Atlantis. The sunlight danced on the colorful coral reefs as she swam through the bustling city, exchanging friendly waves with the residents who recognized her.
She reciprocated their gestures of respect with a warm smile before continuing on her way. Tula has grown since the days of the Syndicate and Brainiac invasion. She now wore a sleek red skintight suit made out of shimmering fish scales, a symbol of her connection to the sea. Her long hair flowed down her shoulders as she swam, and she proudly displayed the emblem of Atlantis on her belt around her waist.
Despite her loving attachment to the underwater world, she couldn't shake the pangs of longing for Tommy, her partner on the surface. As a princess, Tula felt torn between her duty to her people and her love for Tommy.
The struggle weighed heavily on her mind as she navigated through the underwater realm, eventually arriving at the grand castle where her mother, Mera, cared for her younger brother, Arthur Jr. With her long, flowing black hair swaying gently in the water, Tula joined her mother, tenderly caressing her sleeping brother as she sought solace from the internal conflict that plagued her.
"What is on your mind, daughter?" Mera asked, seeing her daughter's face.
Tula sighed. "Same as before, mother." She sighed and looked out the window to the kingdom. "This is where I belong. These people defend me, I can't abandon them, but I don't feel like I can just break up with Tommy."
"And neither should you," Mera told her. "When I first met your father..."
"You wanted to kill him," Tula recalled the story. "For several reasons."
"We came from two different worlds." Mera defended her past actions. "I didn't see him as a worthy king. But then I saw what he could become. That was what I fell for. The man I never knew I was waiting for."
"So, you think that I shouldn't break up with Tommy?" Tula asks.
"I think you should listen to your heart," Mera explained.
Tula took a second and sighed, she went to respond when a sudden explosion came from outside of the castle, destroying a wall in the process. Water instantly started flooding into the area.
"What the hell?!" Tula yelled out, searching for the source of the explosion. She looked over and saw that Mera was cradling her brother and saw they were safe. She then looked and saw that something was outside. "Shit."
Floating there in the middle of the open ocean, was a figure in a black shiny armored suit with his hair still flowing. It had one spear in its right hand, while a crossbow was attached to its left arm. He even seemed to have some sort of jetpack on his back to help him get around.
Kraven.
Arthur flew into the room where he saw his family. "Are you alright?"
"Fine," Mera promised, looking to Kraven. "Go get him!"
Kraven wasted little time and charged straight at the king of Atlantis. Arthur used his Atlantean powers and propelled through the water with incredible force. He grasped onto Kraven and then the two went out of sight when they headed towards the surface in combat.
"I have to help him!" Tula said, only to be stopped by Mera grasping her arm.
"Tula, no! " Mera said as she handed Arthur Jr. over to Tula. "Look after your brother! I will help him!"
Tula was shocked to see she was put on baby duty while her mother sped off into the water to help Arthur fight Kraven. She found the two brawling near the throne room and quickly swam in their direction. Kraven pushed Arthur down, before sending a line in Mera's direction. She quickly dodged and sent a jet of water his way.
The water stream knocked him off his feet, but he quickly recovered just before Arthur could smash him with his trident.
"Ah, now I have brought out the Queen of Atlantis!" Kraven cheered. He then spun his spear as it was now being charged due to some modifications it had been given. "Now this might be a fight worthy of Kraven the Hunter!"
Mera just scowled at him and sent another stream of water his way. This time though, he was able to evade it quickly with his jetpack. Arthur then roared in fury as he charged Kraven once again. Kraven ducked under the attack and slashed at Arthur's abdomen.
The king managed to maneuver himself away from the strike and swung his trident down onto the blade. Kraven raised his crossbow and was preparing to shoot, but before he could Mera sent another blast of water in his direction, causing him to smash against the rock.
Kraven however only chuckled, confusing Mera when suddenly missiles were flung, coming from a nearby camouflaged submarine. Tech that he stole from the boat that the Syndicate was guarding. Mera was sent swirling as giant air bubbles from the explosions were causing her to lose focus and gave Kraven the chance to break free. Mera was floating and seemed to have been damaged as the missiles were laced with Vibranium to pack a punch and seemed to do some harm.
Kraven, fueled by rage, propelled himself upward, his spear crackling with energy as he readied to strike. Suddenly, Tula swooped in and collided with Kraven, sending him hurtling into the open ocean. "Stay away from my mother!" she shouted, her voice filled with fury.
Kraven snarled as he beheld Mera's injured form and then turned his attention to Tula, who stood poised and prepared to confront him. "You are not my prey just yet," Kraven declared, revealing a mysterious remote in his possession. With a press of a button, numerous explosions erupted across Atlantis, prompting Arthur and Tula to shift their focus from Kraven to the protection of their people. "Predictable," Kraven sneered.
As chaos reigned in Atlantis, the Queen's guards hastily rallied to her defense as Kraven took advantage of the situation to slip away, darting toward his waiting submarine and making a clean escape from the city. Meanwhile, Arthur and Tula fought tirelessly to shield their people, but their frustration boiled over as they realized that Kraven had eluded them.
Returning to the castle, they were met with the sight of Mera, her body marked by burns and wounds sustained in her confrontation with Kraven. It was clear that he had orchestrated the attack with cunning precision, and now Mera lay in a coma-like state, her survival uncertain. Arthur held his son, seeing he didn't want him to see his mother was harmed.
Tula seethed with anger, vowing to hunt down the perpetrator responsible for her mother's suffering. Kraven's actions had consequences, and Tula was determined to make him pay for the harm he had inflicted.
"Where do you think that submarine is headed?" Tula inquired of the guards.
"Based on our calculations, it seems to be heading towards... Central City," one of the guards responded, pointing out the direction Kraven was heading and his likely destination.
"Tula?" Arthur called out, and Tula anticipated that he was going to advise her against seeking revenge, but instead, he surprisingly said, "Make him pay."
Tula was relieved to hear that her father supported her desire for vengeance and was determined to ensure that Kraven faced consequences for his actions. She was going to go to Central City, and Kraven was going to pay for his actions against Atlantis and all those he killed.
But she didn't realize that she was playing right into Kraven's hands...
