Elsewhere
The rumbling of the damaged tank echoed through the empty highway as it sped through the decaying remains of Ohio. The air smelled faintly of rust and old blood—the lingering scent of a world long past saving. But Riri Williams wasn't the kind of girl who gave up easily.
She gripped the steering wheel tighter, eyes focused on the cracked road ahead. The once-lush forests were now skeletal silhouettes, their charred branches reaching up like fingers begging the heavens for mercy. In the backseat, Kamala Khan rested her chin on her knees, while Kate Bishop kept her bow across her lap, eyes scanning the desolate horizon for movement.
The tiny device—no bigger than a keychain—hung from the rearview mirror, glinting dully in the gray sunlight. It looked so insignificant, and yet, it might be the only thing capable of saving what was left of humanity.
Two days ago, they'd recovered it from the wreck of the Quinjet, buried under rubble near what used to be Chicago. Riri had recognized it immediately—it was a beacon designed to contact an organization beyond Earth, but only S.H.I.E.L.D. had the tech needed to activate it. And the nearest base that still might have power was in Ohio.
So that's where they were headed.
Kamala yawned softly, her tired eyes gazing out at the ruins. "So… how much longer till we get there?"
Riri glanced at the cracked GPS tablet. "If the roads stay clear, maybe three hours. But that's a big if."
"Three hours," Kate murmured, shifting in her seat. "We'll need to refuel before then."
"Already thought of that," Riri said with a smirk. "Found a stash in the last outpost we raided. We're good for another 100 miles."
"Yeah, but what if we hit—"
"Zombies?" Kamala interrupted, her tone half-joking. "We'll just outrun them. Easy."
Riri raised an eyebrow. "Kamala, we're driving a car that sounds like it's dying every ten seconds."
Kamala crossed her arms. "Okay, fine. Then we punch them."
Kate snorted, shaking her head. "You two are exhausting."
The conversation trailed off as the vehicle rounded a bend and came face-to-face with something massive—a clean, circular hole that pierced through the base of a nearby mountain. The tunnel looked freshly made, its edges jagged like glass.
"Was that… there on the map?" Kate asked, leaning forward.
Riri frowned. "No. But it's a straight path through the ridge. Might cut our time in half."
Kamala squinted. "It looks sketchy."
"Everything looks sketchy nowadays," Riri said, switching gears. "Hold on tight—we're taking the shortcut."
The tank bumped off the main road and into the uneven dirt, kicking up clouds of dust as they entered the shadowed tunnel. The air grew colder, heavier. Somewhere inside, water dripped from above, echoing faintly through the stone.
They drove in silence for a while—until Kamala noticed something strange.
"Uh… is it me," she said slowly, "or is that storm moving faster?"
"What storm?" Kate asked.
Kamala pointed through the windshield. Ahead, the end of the tunnel revealed a sky churning with black clouds—rolling unnaturally fast, almost alive. Forks of lightning flickered within them, but instead of white, they glowed gold and blue, swirling violently as though two storms were colliding.
Riri's brow furrowed. "That's… not weather. Not normal weather."
Kate narrowed her eyes. "Wait. Look—up there."
Through the dark mass of clouds, they could just barely make out two figures, outlined by bursts of glowing energy. They moved at impossible speed—colliding, separating, then clashing again. Each impact sent tremors rippling through the air, flashes bright enough to blind them for an instant.
"What the hell—" Riri started, but she didn't finish.
Because something exploded in front of the tank.
BOOMMMMM!!!!
The blast hit like a hammer, flipping the vehicle onto its side and sending glass and metal flying everywhere. The world became a blur of noise—screeching metal, Kamala's panicked shout, and Kate cursing as she shielded her face.
When the dust settled, the tank was a wreck. Smoke rose from the crushed hood.
Riri groaned and kicked the door open. "Everyone okay?"
"Alive," Kate coughed, rubbing her shoulder. "Not great, but alive."
Kamala crawled out next, bruised but breathing. "Ow. My everything hurts."
Riri helped her up. "Good. That means you're still functional."
The trio limped toward a half-broken concrete slab near the roadside and ducked behind it. Overhead, thunder cracked—and the sky erupted.
Two blazing figures streaked through the clouds, their energy lighting up the entire valley.
One was wreathed in gold, her body glowing like a miniature sun. The other burned with blue-white light that split the air with heat. Their collisions shattered the sound barrier again and again—and though the girls didn't know it, they were witnessing Captain Marvel and Ikaris of the Eternals locked in a godlike battle.
"Are they—" Kate started, her voice barely a whisper. "Are those people?"
"I don't think people move like that," Kamala breathed. "Or explode mountains with their punches!"
The ground shook as one of the figures smashed into a cliff, sending rocks tumbling. The other swooped down after it, leaving a golden trail across the clouds.
For a few seconds, none of them spoke. The sight was too unreal.
Then Riri's AI assistant broke the silence.
"Warning: proximity alert. Multiple hostiles detected."
"Friday?" Riri said, glancing at the gauntlet on her wrist. "Where?"
"North. Forty meters and closing fast. Heat signatures match reanimated human activity."
"Zombies," Kate muttered, nocking an arrow.
Kamala's eyes widened. "We didn't even hear them coming!"
"Engaging defense protocol."
Before any of them could react, something shot out from the back of their wrecked vehicle—a flying shape with metallic limbs and a bright red teddy bear head. The suit hovered in the air, eyes glowing with soft blue light.
Riri grinned despite the chaos. "Ah, I love that bear."
The customized Ironheart armor—Riri's creation—was piloted not by her, but by Friday, her AI assistant. It was armed, autonomous, and endearingly ridiculous.
"Friday," Riri ordered, "suppress the incoming swarm."
"Acknowledged."
A compartment opened on the suit's arm, and a small grenade arced through the air before landing in the middle of the shambling horde that was closing in. The explosion was sharp and efficient, spraying ash and blackened limbs across the cracked asphalt.
Kate ducked instinctively. "You made her a grenade launcher?"
"She made herself one," Riri said proudly. "AI initiative."
Kamala peeked out from behind the concrete. "We've got more incoming!"
The zombies were still coming—dozens of them now—drawn by the light and noise of the battle overhead. But then, another explosion lit the sky, and the shockwave threw everyone to the ground.
When they looked up, one of the two godlike figures crashed into the earth less than a mile away, leaving a crater that glowed molten orange.
Kate swallowed hard. "...I think we just found what made the hole through the mountain."
Riri tightened her grip on her gauntlet. "Whatever that thing is, it's not done fighting."
"Hostiles approaching again," Friday announced calmly, hovering beside her creator.
"Recommendation: retreat."
Riri nodded. "Agreed. Everyone move! We're not dying here."
~~~
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