The cockpit of the Helicarrier buzzed with low chatter and the endless rhythm of incoming reports. Fury stood at the center console, arms folded, his one eye fixed on the holographic projection of New York's map peppered with blinking red dots.
"That makes a total of eleven now," Fury said flatly.
"Yes, sir," came the voice over comms.
"John, you're on this case," Fury snapped, calling him by name.
"Yes, Director." John's voice was steady but strained, the crackle of police sirens was audible in the background. "Spider-Man and Officer Yuri have both been on the case. According to Yuri's personal reports sir, Spider-Man believes this isn't human. He thinks an alien or… some foreign entity is behind the kidnappings."
Fury's brow tightened. He didn't like hearing the kid was already throwing around the word alien. "Good work, John. Keep me updated."
"Understood, sir." In the background, a female voice barked about a robbery nearby. John muttered a curse, then cut the line.
Mariah stepped closer, her expression tense. "We've had consistent reports of footage loss whenever the incidents happen." Fury looked at her sharply. "A complete loss?"
She shook her head. "Not exactly. It's not a total wipe, more like… an interruption. Something is jamming the frequency itself."
An agent at another console swiveled around. "Sir, we've cross-checked the interference. It's not terrestrial, it spikes at a frequency not on our grids. But…" he hesitated, "…we did recover one clip."
On the holo-screen, grainy footage appeared: Spider-Man facing off against a hooded figure in an alley. The kid's quips were drowned in static, the fight framed against a hazy background that looked like green screen distortion.
Mariah leaned closer, almost whispering to Fury. "You think it's a Skrull?" Fury studied the footage, jaw tight, then shook his head. "No. Doesn't look the same. This is… different."
"What about the samples we pulled?" he asked.
Mariah tapped her tablet. "It's not standard residue. Not something you'd find in this city, or anywhere natural. It's… insectoid. Like a secretion. And, Director…" She glanced at him. "…it's highly flammable."
Fury exhaled, a long heavy sigh. "Up the surveillance. I want eyes in every alley, every shadow. If this thing's hiding in the dark, we'll burn it out."
Baxter Building
It was dinner hour at the Baxter Building, and the atmosphere couldn't have been more different. Sue moved gracefully between the kitchen and dining room, helping Ben Grimm set the long table. Platters of food glistened under the warm lights: roasted lamb chops seared to perfection, golden-brown potatoes dripping with butter and rosemary, trays of spiced chicken legs, grilled vegetables, and bowls of rich, aromatic sauces. The savory smell filled the air, the kind that made the stomach clench in anticipation.
Ben wiped his massive stone hands on a towel, standing proudly over the spread.
The window burst open with a fiery streak. Johnny landed lightly, extinguishing his flames mid-step.
"You're kidding me—" he sniffed the air dramatically, "—I could smell this from five blocks away. Tell me you saved me a plate."
Reed entered from the hall at the same moment, already loosening his tie, eyes distracted from hours of work. His head lifted as the scent hit him. "Ohhh, something smells incredible." His gaze went straight to Ben. "Nice job, Ben."
Sue raised an eyebrow, arms folded. "And how do you know I didn't make it?"
"Oh, uh—" Reed faltered, glancing between them.
Ben's stone jaw tightened. "Oh, boy…"
Johnny was already flashing frantic hand signals, miming 'say something anything!'
Reed blinked, then blurted, "Ben told me earlier. Called me about dinner."
Sue let the silence linger before laughing softly. "Relax, Reed. I was kidding. Unless, of course…" she trailed off with a mischievous smirk.
Reed muttered, "I ain't fallin' for that again…"
They gathered at the table, plates filled and laughter echoing as they dug in. Johnny devoured lamb chops like he hadn't eaten in days, Sue carefully balanced food for everyone, and Reed for once seemed relaxed, talking about flavors instead of equations.
Sue's eyes lingered on him. "So, Reed. Your project. How's it going?" Reed set down his fork, his expression shifting back to the scientist she knew. "It's… progressing. But the containment remains the main problem."
Ben grunted, stabbing at his food. "Containment? You're opening holes into God-knows-where and 'containment' is the issue? Doesn't sound safe to me."
"It isn't flawless," Reed admitted. "But if it works, it could provide a clean energy source unlike anything Earth has ever seen."
"Or blow us all to kingdom come," Johnny muttered around a mouthful.
The argument hung in the air until the floor shuddered beneath them. Johnny was the first to notice. His fork froze midair. "…uhhh, guys?"
Nobody looked up.
"Guys?" He tried again.
Still nothing.
Finally, Johnny slammed his fork down and yelled, "GUYS!"
The building shook again, harder this time, followed by a deafening boom from the floor below. The lights flickered. Sue's eyes shot to Reed.
"That's—"
"The lab," Reed finished, already sprinting. "Shit!"
———-
They burst into the lab and Reed was the first to see a man levitating above the portal ring, his body wrapped in a glowing golden orb with writhing golden runes. The machine roared, spewing unstable green energy that lashed out like living lightning.
Reed's eyes widened. "What… what have you done? Who are you?!" The man didn't answer. The runes flared, feeding into the portal as the ring pulsed violently
Ben roared, charging forward. "It's clobberin' time!" He barely crossed the floor before a surge of exotic energy slammed him back into a wall.
Sue shouted, "Who the hell is that, Reed?!"
Johnny ignited, fire bursting to life as he launched himself at the intruder. But as his flames hit the golden orb, the energy was absorbed, sucked away like water into dry earth.
Reed stared at the readings streaming across his console. "The energy, it's leaking into the breach. He's using my portal tech to stabilize it. If the feedback continues…" His hands flew across the keyboard. "The entire building could collapse into a dimensional rift!"
Sue's force fields flared to life trying to hold back the storm of energy as it thickened, the air itself trembling with the strain. The sorcerer finally turned. Half his face was charred, skin peeling away to reveal raw flesh beneath. His voice was a guttural rasp. "Futile. All of it. Your struggles mean nothing. His magnificence shall grace this Earth… with his hive."
He thrust out a hand, blasting them back with a wave of burning green energy that surged out of the portal.
—————-
Outside from the street below, pedestrians screamed as a thunderous boom shook the block. The top of the Baxter Building erupted with searing green light, tendrils of unstable energy spilling outward like a storm tearing free of the sky. People fled in terror, cars screeching to a halt as the ground trembled.
Back in the SHIELD command center, alarms blared. "What in the hell is it now?!" Fury barked as Mariah sprinted up to him. "Director there's been an explosion at the Baxter Building."
They rushed to the cockpit, pulling up the live satellite feed. The Baxter Building filled the screen, its crown was engulfed in writhing energy. Fury narrowed his eye with his jaw clenched.
"Talk to me," he growled. An agent swallowed. "Sir… the energy signature shows similarities to the bursts interfering with our frequencies and still climbing."
"Get me Stark," Fury snapped.
"Already on it, sir." But before anyone could move, another agent spoke up, voice trembling. "Uh, Director… you should see this."
On screen, the chaotic energy began to twist inward, folding upon itself until it formed a massive dome of shimmering green around the Baxter Building, rising a thousand meters into the air.
The room went silent.
Fury leaned forward, voice low and cold. "Son of a bitch. Get me Tony… now."
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