The air inside the facility was thick with tension. Julius and I were rifling through the Foundation-secured files, our eyes scanning for any mention of Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. My Red Right Hand moved silently through the hallways, scanning the building for any threats, while the two of us focused on the data.
Then, without warning, a blinding blast of energy slammed into Julius, sending him crashing into the back wall. I felt the shockwave hit me as well, leaving a sting I hadn't felt in years. My eyes shot up, and there they were: Carol Danvers, blazing with power, and Nicholas Fury, calm but deadly, flanking each other like predators.
I summoned Carnwennan from my soul, the legendary dagger appearing in my hand like an extension of my own will. "We don't want to fight you," I said, my voice steady, even as my magic crackled through the air.
Fury didn't hesitate. Bullets sprayed toward us. Julius and I dove behind pillars, narrowly avoiding the deadly hail. I threw Carnwennan—its blade slicing through the air toward Carol, grazing her suit but missing completely—and then I withdrew it back into my soul, feeling the pulse of its power settle into me.
Our Red Right Hand was now under attack by SHIELD operatives, forcing our priorities to shift. "Julius, back them up!" I barked. We tore through the agents, laser fire and bullets cutting a path to our men.
Carol and Fury, seizing the opportunity, grabbed the file on Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. and ran for the hangar. I unleashed multiple gravity spells, trying to pull the plane back to the ground, twisting the very air around them. The plane shuddered, the engines straining under my magical influence.
Fury, ever precise, shot a single round at me. It wasn't a killing shot, just a warning—but my instincts kicked in, my body moving in ways I didn't consciously control. The bullet whizzed past, harmless, as the plane accelerated into the sky, escaping our grasp for the moment.
Julius and I regrouped with our Red Right Hand, surveying the damage. "They got away… but not for long," Julius muttered, already calculating their trajectory and potential hideouts.
I nodded, feeling a mix of frustration and excitement. This was no ordinary SHIELD encounter. These were enhanced humans, trained to survive the impossible—and yet, we weren't done. Not by a long shot.
"Next time," I said softly, my eyes glowing faintly as my magic hummed in response to the challenge, "we will not let them leave. Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. stays ours."
The chase had only begun.