Daisy Johnson felt her sinuses clog and her eyes burn as a wave of helpless frustration welled up inside her.
She had been running around the base, trying to help, but had accomplished nothing. Even Lincoln, the Inhuman doctor, had joined the efforts to save Agent Coulson, using his powers to replace the electromagnetic coil meant to extract shrapnel. Barbara had been astonished when she saw him in surgical scrubs—until he demonstrated how he could quickly build an electromagnetic coil by hand. It was a massive help, at least creating enough space for the large automated surgical unit. "Mike asked me to tell you, 'Don't put too much faith in those machines—use manual mode if possible,'" Daisy muttered resentfully. "My powers aren't suited for this kind of work. I'm sorry. If Fitz or Simmons were here…"
"Hey, girl, I don't have time to give you a therapy session! But know this—you were a hacker before you got powers. That already makes you more useful than Hunter. All that guy's good for is hauling supplies. I wouldn't even trust him with a pair of forceps," Barbara said bluntly, tilting her head with a sharp jab at her ex-husband. Hunter opened his mouth to object, but the situation didn't leave him any room to speak.
"How about while I'm stopping this bleeding, you check the software settings on the surgery unit? Mike and I both hate relying on that cold piece of junk," Barbara added in a forced-cheerful tone. "Good thing Coulson's ribs were partly replaced with an alloy. Otherwise his chest cavity would be shredded. When he wakes up, he'll probably joke that he's half-cyborg now."
Daisy smiled faintly. "That does sound like something he'd say."
"Especially if we use those synthetic organs they offered us," Barbara remarked.
Daisy threw her a puzzled glance. Barbara explained, "They offered mechanical organs—a vibranium-made artificial lung and heart, complete with bio-batteries. Don't worry, we won't use them unless we have no other choice. It's a bit too extreme."
Stephanie had offered the cybernetic organs out of genuine concern. She had long since moved beyond the narrow-minded vision of Hydra.
Solomon had already informed her of SHIELD's future assignments, including some of the missions certain agents would undertake. She understood Coulson's importance very well. A mechanically enhanced circulatory and respiratory system would help him survive future missions, even in the event of a chest wound. If it were up to her, she would also have recommended replacing his ribs with a more durable, flexible alloy to better withstand the dangers of the field.
"I suggest you follow my plan," she said to Mike, the officer coordinating medical supplies. "It will help you. The Immortal City's medical personnel are highly skilled in organ transplantation. They're professionals with a great deal of experience."
"Thanks, but we have our own procedures," Mike replied, barely holding on to his politeness.
Part of the reason Coulson had ended up in the operating room was because this woman had recklessly opened fire—without explaining why no one was allowed near that glassy diagram behind her. Mike had reviewed the footage repeatedly and, in fairness, knew most of the blame lay with Skye. He tried to suppress the anxiety and anger he felt over Coulson's condition. He also believed Skye hadn't realized how deadly their bullets were—otherwise she wouldn't have tried to disarm them with her powers the way she had.
Stephanie shrugged. "At least let our field medics assist with the surgery," she said. "Your base doesn't have enough staff."
"I agree," Mike relented. "And I don't want any more accidents. Got it? I'll keep Skye in check so she doesn't interfere with your operations—but don't meddle in ours either."
"We were called here to help prevent you people from destroying the world with your own incompetence. We're not SHIELD's servants," Stephanie replied coolly. Even through her helmet, Mike could sense the scorn in her voice. "My lord cares about the fate of the world—not SHIELD's survival. We don't give a damn about your agency."
Mike nodded without expression. "Good."
———
This planet didn't exist on Kamar-Taj's star charts, nor was it part of their planetary defense network. As a result, plotting its coordinates manually was slow. Even though Solomon had started working on this the moment they arrived, the process was still incomplete.
Zero looked into the crystal sphere and shook his head. "The only thing I've detected is a leylines presence," he said. "But not much. This planet is dying."
The sandstorm and the creature wouldn't give him the time he needed.
With the help of magic, Solomon and the Sisterhood stormed across the wasteland at an incredible pace.
"Here. My spell is ready," he said abruptly, stopping in his tracks. The Sisterhood instantly formed a protective formation around him. Solomon spread his arms and pointed to the desert, reciting ancient verses in a loud, resonant voice. A spark-filled whirlwind began to rise from the sand. Within seconds, it expanded. Glowing embers dripped from the swirling winds. In just a few heartbeats, the once-human-sized whirlwind had become a towering inferno, dozens of meters tall, filled with molten sand and blazing with heat. Its brilliant flames lit up the dark wasteland like broad daylight.
Warning runes flashed across every helmet's HUD, signaling dangerous temperatures. Even from a distance, their feedback-armored suits registered the searing heat. If anyone touched their armor now, it would be like grabbing a car hood under the midday sun—enough to make them jump in pain.
Their thermal control systems worked overtime to prevent them from dehydrating inside their suits like animals trapped in a sealed car.
Solomon directed the firestorm forward, commanding the wind and flames to feed on the leylines and grow stronger.
This wasn't the first spell he had cast. On the horizon, another fiery whirlwind was moving steadily forward. The heat and brilliance were growing, leaving behind a massive molten trail. When the molten sand cooled, it formed a glowing path of glass that shimmered under the blue moonlight.
He had cast this powerful spell five times already, creating opposing cyclones to combat the shambling dust storm, using fire and heat to destroy the microscopic parasites hidden within.
So far, the creature hadn't realized how active the planet had become.
Solomon suspected that once the creature sensed this surge in biomass, it would come rushing in, ravenous after centuries of starvation. The firestorms were not just weapons—they were a challenge. The parasite would surely believe that an Inhuman with flame abilities had arrived.
For the Hive, nothing was more tempting than that.
He would kill it here. That slimy, tentacled creature. That disgusting parasite. The archmage drew his sword. Flames ignited along the blade's length. He could feel the creature's surprise. The Hive had accepted his challenge.
On the far side of the horizon, a towering black figure emerged from the desert—taking long, heavy strides forward.
(End of Chapter)
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