MARVEL Photon: the Primes (Chapter 4)

World on Fire: Part 4 is the fourth chapter of MARVEL Photon: the Primes.

World on Fire: Part 4
'''Empire State Building, Midtown Manhattan, SHIELD Danger Classification: 7 '''

Stage one: Enter the building.

A SHIELD Agent enters the building and walks through the lobby. He looks solemn, his face as cold as stone.

''Stage two: Enter elevator. ''

He steps inside, with the doors closing moments later.

''Stage three: Go up to floor 16 ''

As he steps out of the elevator, a guard prepares him to walk through a metal detector. He steps through, all clean.

''Stage four: Position in hallway. ''

He leans against the pillar, and bites his lip, “Oh god.”

''Stage five: Detonate ''

He takes a deep breath, covers his nose and mouth, and holds. BOOM! Vibrations rush through the building. Blue energy pulses out. The upper floors of the building begin to fall. Mostly localised to within a one-block area, the falling debris crushes pedestrians, causes cars to crash, people to hurry to the roofs and windows of buildings to watch the catastrophe.

Several blocks away, on the roof of a large apartment building, Kang watches the destruction. “Who dares use my technology to do their dirty work?”



'''Remote Papua New Guinea, SHIELD Danger Classification: 2, Date: January 8, 2012 '''

Kang sits on the ground, wearing a wooden mask painted blue. Kids hug him, as he pats them on the head and shoulders.

“The man twice lived. We are happy to have you in our village. The children love you, and the adults admire you. But I do not understand why you are here.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Kang waves the children away, and looks at the elderly man, “I come from the future to…well, rest. I’ve lived a worthy life. Twenty years from now my place in the world has become redundant. So I came back here, to a time where I fit in.”

<p class="MsoNormal">A young child rushes in, and across the room. The elderly man asks, “What are your purposes for entering?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“It’s him! He’s on the television!” She jumps up and taps the ‘ON’ button. As the picture fades in, Kang looks up at the face of Tony Stark.

<p class="MsoNormal">He frowns, his face not visible but the creases of around his mask give away his facial expression. “The man who caused me so much pain. The source of my instabilities. Tony Stark and Nick Fury are my sworn enemies, until the day I die!”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Well then, good thing I know how to help you out.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Kang looks at the doorway. A man in a silver suit and red tie stands before him. The figure runs his fingers through his shiny, ginger hair. He smiles, his bright blue eyes glistening. “And you would be…?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“A trickster. A powerful trickster. I can give you what you need, in return, you just have to do one…tiny…little…thing.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Do I get to know what that is, or are you just going to leave me waiting? I warn you, I am an impatient man.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Do as my master says, and you get everything you want…nay…need to exact your revenge. Tony Stark and Nick Fury will know pain like never before.” He smiles and holds his hand out, “Are you in?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“What’s your name?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Mordecai.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Sounds like a dependable name.” He takes Mordecai’s hand, “I’m in.”

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">'''Former site of the Empire State Building, Midtown Manhattan, SHIELD Danger Classification: 7 '''

<p class="MsoNormal">Standing among the rubble, Don closes his eyes and takes several deep breaths. He hears his heartbeat pounding, dropping his hammer. It hits the ground with a loud thud that echoes across the field of debris. SHIELD Agents hurry around, searching for anybody still alive, with none found. As he falls to his knees, Don hears the screams of people, calling out for their loved ones, and as his face hits the ground, everything turned to silence. Silence and darkness.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">'''SHIELD Summit, former Manhattan Bay, SHIELD Danger Classification: 8 '''

<p class="MsoNormal">Maria Hill sits in what had once been Nick Fury’s ‘Director Chair’. She watches footage from all over the world. All sorts of bombings, dozens of screens filled with chaos. From those dozens, a mere eight sport the word ‘KANG’ in the top left corner, indicating the perpetrator of the attacks. “It’s all gone mad. How many days until the replacement arrives?”

<p class="MsoNormal">A man at a desk below yells over, “Two days, ma’am.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“F***. We’re all f***ed.” She looks at all the screens, “Thanks to Kang, we now have a world of other threats out there. A world on fire. Sh**. I’m on the verge of just giving it up. Ending it all. Launching a nuclear attack on every freaking nation, put the world out of its misery.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Ma’am, as you are only Acting Director of SHIELD, you don’t have the authority to launch nuclear warheads.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yeah…I know. Thanks anyway, Sam.” She sighs, “He can’t get here any sooner?” She sinks into the chair, “This job sucks.”

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">'''Latveria, SHIELD Danger Classification: 4 '''

<p class="MsoNormal">A blonde man falls from the roof of a building. He hits the ground, landing on his feet. He spins around and punches a soldier that had jumped off after him. “Come on!” He laughs, kicking the soldier into a wall, which cracks in the pressure. “This is easy! At least put up a fight!” He pulls out his gun, “F*** it!” He fires, the bullet hitting his target right between the eyes, no splatter, no mess, he just slides down the wall into a pile on the ground. RING! RING! He pulls out his phone, RING! RING! “Hello? Nathaniel Brock speaking.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Where the hell are you!? The world is in chaos, and you can’t even come to your job early?”

<p class="MsoNormal">He quickly climbs a wall and stands on the roof of a building, “I’m not supposed to step in for another two days. I follow orders, and my orders told me two days.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Now isn’t time for orders, Nathan.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“It’s Nathaniel.” He laughs.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Whatever! Maria is currently buckling under the pressure. You’re known for never stressing, that’s why you were given this detail. We need you here, now!”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Sorry, no can do! I’m currently taking care of a HYDRA situation in Latveria. It’ll take me into the morning, then I hop on my plane, fly to New York, gotta settle into my apartment and all, then after the first good night’s sleep I’ll have had in four months, I’ll step in and take over from her.” He laughs, and elbows a HYDRA soldier behind him. “Just a sec.” He spins around, punches the HYDRA agent, then lunges at him, swings his foot around his leg, and trips him over. THUD! Nathaniel points his gun at the neck, and fires. “Okay, so you were saying?” He listens to the person on the phone, while watching the soldier shake and squirm before he dies.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Fine. But if you’re not at the Summit on time, your salary is cut in half.” The dead tone rings through Nathaniel’s ear.

<p class="MsoNormal">“F***ing hell. This’ll be a long weekend.”

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">'''Classified Location, SHIELD Danger Classification: 1 '''

<p class="MsoNormal">Nick Fury sits in the living room of the mostly wooden lodge in the middle of a mountain range. He watches the destruction of the Empire State Building. His face solemn, he speaks, “You can stop watching me.” He looks up at a camera in the corner.

<p class="MsoNormal">A female voice fills the room, booming from speakers placed in each corner, “I’m afraid I can’t do that. I was designed to watch the inhabitants of the Cabin 24 hours a day. It is my designation to make sure there is video footage of every day of your stay. If you would like some privacy, the bedroom and two toilets are camera-free, and will therefore allow you to partake in activities without my vision.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Speaking of which, “Where are the Visions? Haven’t seen any around. I was told there’s meant to be a squadron of them patrolling the range.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“All Visions are currently on patrol, camouflaged.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Proof? I may have been Director of the organisation, but I can’t say I fully trust it. Prove to me that I’m being protected!”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Okay former-Director Fury.” A large, gunmetal grey robot lands on the balcony outside. Green lights across its’ body makes it look intimidating. “Would you like Vision-744 to return to patrol? Or would you rather keep him here in case of an emergency?”

<p class="MsoNormal">Fury walks over to the glass door and slides it open. He approaches the Vision robot and strokes the metal chest plate. “Oh, you are a beauty.” He smiles, “Probably my best choice as SHIELD Director, having these mass produced and working as SHIELD guards.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Really? That’s what you consider your best decision? No wonder they kicked you out.” Fury steps back, surprised. The Vision robot opens up, revealing a man in a black, form-fitting suit. He wears a metal helmet, which has an inbuilt visor.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Who…who are you!?” Fury pulls a gun out of his pocket and points it at the man.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I…am the…know…sorry…I want this to be iconic.” He thinks for a moment, a smile spreading across the half of his face visible. “I…am your Maker.”