Across the Universe

Overall Bruce Banner considered himself to be a good man. In light of his unfortunate past that was no simple feat. His moral compass, when he had control of it at least, was aimed in the right direction. This was partially due to the fact that he’d given up on having any real life of his own. Bruce Banner’s sole focus in life was to keep harm from coming to others. It was why he’d used his vast medical knowledge to treat the ill in countries that usually couldn’t afford his kind of help. Doctoring had never been his dream, even in his youth, but it was one of the few ways he had left to contribute to the world without destroying it.

Now, as he climbed off of the jet that had landed in Central Park, Manhattan, carrying an armful of delicately bundled, very expensive equipment, he struggled with what was to come. Yes, the upgrades and improvements made overnight to the device that should trap an otherworldly creature were astounding. Were they enough to save a little girl who had dealt with forces Bruce had only ever dreamt existed? He wasn’t sure. There was no guarantee anything they did would work. Somehow he felt like he was walking out of that jet carrying a death sentence for a girl he’d never met.

“Bruce!” He was broken from his reverie by Tony Stark, speaking loudly through the helmet of his Mark armor. When the doctor looked confused the helmet lifted, revealing the billionaire’s handsome face. “I need the ground spikes to set these up! Where’s the voodoo child at? Girl with the freaky eyes…” He spun around in search of Jinx then flew toward her when he discovered her nearby. Bruce looked down again at the bundles in his arms and his old computer propped on top. He didn’t have all of the necessary equipment with him, just the more sensitive sensors.

“You alright, Dr. Banner?” Natasha walked past him, holding the stakes that would be planted in the ground to support the poles that would create the radiation field to hold the creature in place while they found a way to remove Caitlyn from its clutches.

“I’m fine Miss Romanoff.” Bruce reminded himself that now was not the time or the place to have an objection of conscience. The consequences of allowing this monster to cross over would be dire. Were they really worth the life of the little girl they’d seen the night before? That was what truly weighed on the doctor’s mind. “Take those stakes to Dr. Stark… We’ve reinforced the electrical towers in order to keep them from so easily falling over. I’ve implemented a kill switch this time on my computer just in case things go poorly. Tony’s got Jarvis too.”

“Good thinking, Doctor.” Natasha walked past him and Bruce watched as she went. He most certainly wasn’t fine and he thought for sure the spy knew that. His mind was reeling but he had long ago mastered the art of stifling his emotions. Letting them get out of control was out of the question. They’d have two monsters on their hands if he couldn’t keep it together.

Scarlett stopped near the jet to watch Natasha guiding Steve and Clint with the electrical poles through the park. Policemen had begun the massive evacuation thanks to some political meddling by Phil Coulson. Every so often she caught sight of an officer shouting something at someone nearby, presumably ordering them away from the park. If things went wrong, if they couldn’t contain this creature, it wouldn’t matter how wide an area they evacuated.

This was ending here and now.

It wasn’t determination that made Scarlett so sure but rather a feeling in her gut. Central Park was their last stand. Either this creature would cross over or they would put a stop to it. How much strength had it gathered after the multiple attempts to escape? Caitlyn couldn’t handle much more. Even the night before she’d been weak and fragile, so much so that they’d at first mistaken her for someone who had spent days lost in the woods and had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Bruce stared blankly, his equipment in tow. That computer in his arms was ancient technology. Scarlett thought it somehow suited the good doctor. Something about Bruce resonated within Scarlett. She knew what was on his mind because it was also on hers.

“Doesn’t seem right, does it?” Scarlett cautiously approached Dr. Banner. The few interactions she’d had with him had been pleasant thus far and she hoped to keep it that way. Maybe being morbidly cryptic wasn’t the right way to go about that but it couldn’t be helped.

“What’s that?”

“All this.” Scarlett shrugged her good shoulder, coming to stand next to Bruce without looking at him. He observed her curiously. “I’m not naïve. I know what’s going to happen if we can’t save her. Despite what Coulson promised.”

“Yeah…” Judging by Bruce’s tone, Scarlett had guessed exactly what he’d been thinking.

“Is it worth it?”

“I’m not sure.”

“The age old question… Do the ends justify the means? One little girl’s life in exchange for countless others. It used to be a no brainer... at least for me.” Scarlett meant that too. Had it been ten years ago, Scarlett would have made a completely different decision. Caitlyn would have already been dead before Scarlett even knew her name. “I should’ve saved her when I had the chance.”

“You did everything you could.” Bruce began on what would surely be a rousing speech to alleviate Scarlett’s worries.

“No, I didn’t. I should have pulled her away. I’m strong. I could’ve picked her up no problem and run out of there. Instead I hesitated and let that thing get through.”

“There’s no telling what would have happened if you had. If this creature has attached itself to her.”

“You don’t have to ease my guilt, Doc. I’m fine.” Scarlett finally turned to face him. “Let’s try to write a happier ending to this.” Whatever she would wind up deciding to do, whether it be to stay with S.H.I.E.L.D. or not, to be a hero or a villain, Scarlett was sure of a few things. Her mind was mixed up, that was for sure, but she didn’t want to be the author of anymore sad stories.

She’d been penning her own tragedy for too many years. It was a turning point.

“Miss Damien, I didn’t expect you to be the sentimental type.”

“I’m not.” Scarlett sighed heavily and watched as Thor shoved one of the electrical poles so hard in the ground it shook beneath him. Jinx was guiding them around across the grass between the trees, holding her tablet in front of her.

“Could have fooled me.”

“You’re mistaking caution for sentiment.” Holding her left palm up, Scarlett pulled part of her glove down, flicked a few switches on the interior and watched it spark to life before closing the metallic hatch. “I don’t need more blood on my hands. Trust me.” Without another word, Scarlett walked toward the electrical poles that were still being placed. Bruce followed behind her slowly, thinking over the weight of her words.

He knew very little about most of the agents who he’d come to assist. Their stories and histories were a mystery to him with a few obvious exceptions such as Captain America and Iron Man. Starting up the hill Bruce shivered from the chill of the winter wind. It was the middle of the day and the sun was already setting. In an hour it’d be as dark as night.

“Miss Damien.”

Scarlett turned to face Bruce, having stopped to observe the area and get familiar with her surroundings. This was nowhere near the path she usually jogged along but she still knew it well enough. Central Park was iconic. Scarlett had always found it peaceful. It wouldn’t be much longer now before things came to a close. Yet there was that nagging feeling still in the pit of her stomach and somehow she knew Dr. Banner shared that concern. What if there was no saving Caitlyn? When had Scarlett begun referring to suspects and victims by their first names? Apparently having a conscience came with far more complications than she had anticipated.

If she couldn’t save the girl then she would do what needed to be done. Loss wasn’t an option. One way or another, this was going to end tonight. If she had to, she’d kill the girl but only if it was the one option she had left. Bruce wondered why she would make such a request of Phil Coulson if she knew it was impossible.

“What is it?” Scarlett waited for a response from Bruce but never got one. The lights along the paths of Central Park burst! Shards of glass shot every which way leaving the group in the darkness of the night. Sounds of the city hauntingly echoed throughout the trees but there was only a hum of light on the horizon.

An unseen force burst forth from the clearing, nearly knocking the electrical poles onto their sides. Natasha shouted warning but it was too late. She had hunkered close enough to the ground that she didn’t fall over. Scarlett had grabbed onto Bruce and latched onto one of the electrical poles to keep them steady and to protect the equipment in his arms. The ground trembled beneath them.

“It’s coming!” Jinx shouted in a panic, scooting backwards from where she’d fallen.

“How?” Clint stood up, running his tongue over his bloodied lip. There had been no signs other than the elevated radiation levels tracked by Bruce. No glowing light, no attempts to gather energy. With the strength of an earthquake the earth shook, concrete split in half in the midst of the electrical barrier.

“Who cares how?” Scarlett helped Bruce to his feet. The doctor covered his ears when nearby there was a hiss growing in ferocity then changing to a roar! With a slam the terrible creature came at them. Bright light blinded them and the portal that had allowed the creature through burst into existence, sending another wave of invisible force all around it. Scarlett braced them once again to keep them from falling over.

“Watch out!” Mitchell’s voice could be heard over the cacophony of chaos as the portal erupted into existence, creating that mirror of the other horrible world. The same musty air they’d felt the night before poured like fog from the terrible realm, the stench of death and rot followed. Drenched in shadow, the same creature that had shown itself to them before came at them. Pieces of him dripped with ooze, still manifesting, making attempts to gather energy as it made its way through to Central Park.

Mitchell’s warning came too late; the creature came charging at them with a terrible howl. Scarlett couldn’t move fast enough and twisted out of the way but Bruce didn’t move, he’d stood frozen in place and consequently had been knocked off of the ground, into the electrical pole and fell to the side with a thud. A shock ran through him and he twitched in place, holding onto the sensitive device in his arms and his computer for dear life.

“No!” Natasha scattered onto her feet and ran toward the doctor, dodging left and rolling out of the way as the shadow came barreling toward her, clawing with its terribly elongated arms in a mad attempt to grab her.

“Caitlyn!” Scarlett ran closer to the portal, eyes peeled for the little girl that should have been nearby; the conduit for this creature that wanted nothing more than to devour lives. “Caitlyn, we can help you!” Sensing something behind her, Scarlett turned at once and withdrew the blade that had once been attached to her glove. There behind her stood the shadow creature, tall and menacing, seemingly gaining height and towering over her with each second.

“She is no longer with us.”

“I don’t believe that for a second, you bastard.” Scarlett clenched the glove and sent a shock through it. Bending over her, the creature cackled and when Scarlett plunged the blade into its stomach and then grabbed onto the metal with the sparking glove it howled again and this time in misery. Pieces of it melted away then shrunk into the ground and reappeared inside of the portal.

“What is that?” Tony shouted from the air, flying toward the portal as darkness spread around the creature, hiding it from view. Shadow rose like thick smoke, spreading across Central Park, devouring up the team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and scientists. Scarlett stumbled backwards and covered her mouth to keep from breathing in what smelled so damn toxic.

Out of the corner of her eye she could sense movement in the shadows and she fired a bolt of electricity toward it. The howling increased and she ducked low as she saw Tony flying through the shadow in pursuit of something through it.

“Jarvis, keep locked on that thing!”

“There’s something interfering with my system’s, sir but I’ll do my best.” Jarvis’ voice was garbled but the targeting system on screen was still working as it was supposed to. At once the machine flipped on and the electrical poles came to life, creating that gate of radiation and electricity that should have kept the portal imprisoned. However the shadow spread past the electrical barrier, obscuring it in the poisonous air that spread further and further until the only light that could be seen was from the Iron Man Mark and the occasional spark from the electrical poles.

“I can’t move!” Steve shouted and despite his exclamation, he was managing to crawl through the incredible weight of the shadow that hung over them. Scarlett turned in the darkness and shot off another bolt from her glove but then felt those slimy hands of the shadow on her again. This time they weren’t groping, weren’t trying to scare her, they were holding her down. It wasn’t just her, she could hear screams.

They could all hear screams.

They weren’t coming from the group but rather from the portal. Horrible things were whispered to them, their fears, their nightmares. Tony could feel the weight outside of his suit and he could hear the whispers. The lights in his helmet flickered off but then came back to life.

“Jarvis! Jarvis!” He shouted but there was no response. Something was interfering with the way his armor worked, but nothing made sense. Then again he was fighting some demon creature from a different dimension, there were about a thousand different factors that Tony didn’t quite understand and didn’t have the time to work out. However, the Mark armor was still stronger than the shadow. It appeared that with time, the longer he stayed beneath the shadow the easier it was to keep upright.

Where was this creature getting so much energy from? From what they’d seen so far it hadn’t even been able to properly manifest and yet it was practically engulfing the whole of Central Park with darkness. Then it occurred to Tony that this creature had to be distracting them. Whatever it was trying to do it didn’t want them to see it. It was exhausting all its resources just to keep them occupied.

Searching the darkness and overriding Jarvis’ commands, Tony pinpointed the creature and found just what he’d suspected. He was trying to get past the electrical barrier. The source of the barriers current was what it desired. It needed power to come over completely and it must have realized after the last appearance that they had the very power he needed in order to break free and amplify Caitlyn’s gift.

“He’s after the power source!” Tony shouted but then felt something grab the metal of his suit. Flipping in the air he pulled away and shot the odd tentacles away from him with a burst from his repulsor. With a crack of electricity the creature made a run toward the electrical barrier.

“No!” Bruce could be heard yelling from within the shadows. Natasha was in front of him, gun withdrawn, tasers at the ready, hoping to keep him safe. Much to everyone’s surprise the barrier worked as intended and the creature was shocked and repelled backwards. Much of the shadow began to let up, releasing those trapped beneath it from its tyrannical grip though it still obstructed their view like fog.

“It’s working!” Mickey sounded tentative but confident that the machine could keep it up.

“Yeah, for now.” Natasha turned back to Bruce who nodded his head and was frantically typing away at his computer, his head bloodied and his heart pounding in his ears. The words on the screen kept jumping in and out of his vision and he swore that his heart was going to leap out of his chest, or worse, he was going to lose himself.

“I have had enough of this!” Thor rose his hammer into the air and lightning struck the spot where he stood outside of the electrical barrier, clearing the air of the shadow that was fast fading. As he moved to fly toward the barrier and through it Natasha grabbed his arm.

“Don’t get too close to that thing! You’re going to do more harm than good. You remember what happened last time don’t you? Without the radiation barrier your power is no help!”

“There is no way I am going to stand idly by while that monster slaughters your friends in this poisonous shadow!”

“That’s not what I meant!” Natasha growled in annoyance.

“I am more than just a thunderstorm, Miss Romanoff.” At first Thor swung the hammer slowly and then it quickly gained momentum until the outline of the hammer forged from the heart of a dying star could no longer be seen and only a whirlwind remained. Without further argument Thor leapt from the ground and flew right through the electrical barrier, flipped over in the air, landed on the ground with such force that it shook and swung the hammer straight into the creature.

Shadows continued to dissipate while the others got to their feet, recovering from the damage done. The machine was still in the process of being properly set up. The only thing in place was the electrical barrier that they’d created and just in time at that.

Melting into a puddle on the ground the creature regained itself, rose high into the air and the shadow thickened once again. Tony was helping the others to their feet, trying to clear the darkness that grew weaker outside of the barrier. Thor swung his hammer at the creature again and it melted into the ground, surrounded Thor’s feet and before the god could jump the shadow snapped him up and engulfed him.

Enraged Thor swung his mighty hammer in a mad attempt to swat off what was barely tangible. Tentacles of shadow kept grabbing at him, trying to force him to the ground, trying to steal his hammer and anger him into summoning the lightning he was so known for. This demon was far cleverer than he had been the last time. Had it spent every moment regaining its strength planning its assault against those that would surely be waiting on the other side?

Finally, Thor managed to escape the shadow and it rematerialized in front of him. Growling, his teeth grinding, he swung the hammer hard but was forced to stop short as the shadow parted in front of him. Within the shadow, hidden, was Caitlyn. She stood amongst the tendrils, sickly, gaunt, her eyes hollow and empty.

With Thor’s balance thrown off the shadow laughed and grabbed Thor hard, throwing him toward the electrical barrier with such force that the pole nearly snapped in half. It sparked, the barrier disappeared for a short second and then jumped back to life.

It seemed as though the power required to keep such form was too much for the creature and the poison that had engulfed the surrounding area began to thin out, providing them with enough visibility and air that they could function once more. Steve cautiously made his way toward the creature, where he’d clearly seen the outline of the little girl they were hoping to save. He wouldn’t give up on her without a fight.

“Natasha, I need you to reinforce that electrical pole!” Bruce was shouting, out of breath. He’d taken a step away from the computer but his vision was still blurred and blood dripped down the side of his head all the way to his jaw. Jinx was taking over, tapping away at the keys in front of her at his command. He pointed over her shoulder, instructing her how to use the program he’d designed. Despite his adrenaline level nearly beyond his control and the spinning in his head he managed somehow to keep his cool enough to assist them in their task and to keep the beast inside of him at bay.

“We’ve got to get those sensors inside the barrier and the trap in the center or none of this is going to be worth a damn.” Jinx shook her head and Bruce stood upright and turned toward the electrical barrier. He could barely see the chaos that had erupted inside. There were strikes of lightning from the pole that had been damaged, thankfully only striking along the outside of the barrier and so far doing no harm other than a few scorch marks here and there.

“I’ve got this.” Mickey picked up the sensors and looked over her shoulder. Mitchell had followed her over.

“Let me help. I can’t risk going past the barrier when it’s out of control like that. I need to do something.”

Mickey nodded and handed half of them to Mitchell who looked more determined than ever.

“Be quick.” Jinx looked to them frantically for half a second before her eyes returned to the screen. “This isn’t good, that pole is signaling in and out. If we can’t keep it going then we’re going to have to reposition the whole thing.”

“We have time.”

“But what if…”

“We have time!” Bruce shouted and for a moment his voice didn’t sound like his own. Jinx didn’t have time to be afraid of what Bruce would become, she had too much to focus on.

“You’re right.” Jinx whispered and then placed her finger to the earpiece. “Pierce, you two, be quiet. If that thing doesn’t realize what you’re up to it may give us a little bit of leeway when things go wrong.”

“You have so much confidence in us.” Mickey joked but underneath her amusement she was absolutely petrified. Last night had been terrifying enough but this had all begun so suddenly. How come nothing ever went according to plan?

“Bruce, I’m going to need you to help guide me and the ladies, got it?” Jinx spoke without looking over her shoulder. He nodded but tapped her shoulder so he wouldn’t have to speak. Every bit of his mind was focused on keeping his cool and trying to control the racing of his heart.

“Not now, not now.” There was no time to turn into a big green rage monster. He could only hope that the others were doing better than he was.

Steve knew that he had to focus on Caitlyn. When they’d been discussing it earlier, he’d agreed with Scarlett. The little girl was the key to the whole thing. If they could get her under control and break her connection with the shadow beast then it would no longer have any conduit to their world. No mutant power, no portal, as far as Steve was concerned it was the only path that made sense. So far technology hadn’t aided them, not in the way they’d hoped. He was sure that with some time and proper planning Bruce and Tony could have come up with a machine that would prevent any of this from happening but they didn’t have that kind of luxury.

“Caitlyn, are you in there?” Steve walked toward the area where he had seen the little girl as she had been essentially used as a human shield against Thor who was making his way off of the ground. “I can take you home.” Suddenly the shadow parted and revealed the face of the little girl again. She stared blankly at Steve who was unnerved. For some reason it felt as though the girl wasn’t real. “I’m Captain America… I can bring you to safety. Come with me…”

“Can I go home?” The girl’s voice was monotonous and confused but she stared unblinkingly. Scarlett managed to make her way over to them. Steve had gotten her attention now all they had to do was pull her away from the creature and convince her to close the connection. Inside of her coat she could hear paper crunching as she bent over. When they’d been in the jet she’d taken the drawings out of Caitlyn’s file and brought them with her. She needed a connection to the little girl. Somehow it felt as though she was manipulating Caitlyn to do what they wanted but it was for her own safety. Did that make it right? There were too many considerations for her conscience and no time to properly think them through.

“Of course you can go home, just let me help you.” Steve smiled hopefully and began to approach her, holding his hand out to her. Cautiously Caitlyn held her hand out to him. She seemed younger than when they had initially met her. Her arms were thin and her skin pale.

The wind picked up suddenly around them and Scarlett gripped onto the papers in her hand. It was coming from Caitlyn.

“But I don’t have a home.” Caitlyn’s head cocked to the side and the glimmer of hope that had been in her eyes faded and her arm fell back to her side. Steve continued toward her but on the wind there was a voice, a wicked, dark and evil voice whispering horrible things, torturous things. If Steve could simply pick Caitlyn up and get her past the barrier they could, at the very least, sedate her until they got a chance to calm her down.

“It’s going to be okay, Caitlyn.”

“It is not okay!” Caitlyn suddenly shrieked and the wind blew so hard that Scarlett had to grab onto Steve’s shoulder to keep from sliding away in the dirt. “I will not go back to a life where there is nothing for me!”

“We can find you a home…” Steve began, trying to sympathize with the girl but it backfired and she growled.

“This monster isn’t going to bring you home either, if that’s what you think!” Scarlett interrupted in a far harsher tone than she had intended. Caitlyn’s eyes flitted over to her and the shadow that had been hanging over her from the beginning grew taller and taller, becoming more menacing. All Scarlett and Steve could see was sadness in the little girl’s eyes. It didn’t matter what monster she was aiding, this girl needed help. “We saw where you came from. We heard your story from the very beginning.”

“Liars!”

“She’s not lying!” Steve nodded to agree but Caitlyn ignored him.

“We talked to the sisters at the orphanage.” Scarlett pulled her hand away from Steve who tried to grab at her again to support her but she managed to keep her footing in the harsh wind without him.

“Then you know why I can’t go back there.” Caitlyn seemed desperate. “There’s nothing for me in this world. Everyone hates me!”

“I know that’s what it looked like when this started. I know what you want! But deep down, you know you’re being used. You know that there’s no happy ending, nothing is ever that simple. You’re a smart girl Caitlyn, we both know that.”

“She’s right!” Steve chimed in. “We can help you but nothing is easy! There is no simple way to get out of this. If you come with us we can help you find a real home!” That word seemed to upset her. Home.

The wind screamed and Caitlyn leaned her head back, her mouth wide open, her eyes once again hollow. Shadow covered her and she disappeared from view as wall of shadow reached up to the very top of the electrical net and began surrounding them. Scarlett took a step backwards, preparing herself for what was to come and putting away the drawings that she’d held with her. The portal wasn’t too far away. Suddenly it had become very crowded within the electrical barrier.

A familiar staff emerged from the wall of shadow in front of them and soon the green eyed shadow version of Scarlett had returned. There was nothing left of the actual woman she had fought against in the New Jersey shopping mall. Her eyes glowed green but it was the only sign of life left within her. The monster had consumed every bit of her, leaving nothing but a husk to control. As soon as she had become whole, the shadow woman leapt toward her counterpart. Scarlett jumped backwards, careful not to step into the portal but Steve intervened, grabbed the shadow staff and the woman’s shoulder and spun her around with ease, tossing her in the opposite direction.

“Get down!” Thor growled and with a hardy swing of his hammer smashed it straight into the shadow version of the woman so hard that her form completely shattered in a splatter of ooze.

“Well, that’s… surreal.” Scarlett exhaled deeply. It wasn’t everyday she got to watch a mirror image of herself get destroyed by an Asgardian God. Shattered pieces of shadow melted into fluid and rejoined together with the body of the creature that had started it all. It ran toward Thor and as he swung his hammer again it shrunk into nothing, appeared behind him and grabbed him right around the waist and swung him through the air. The hammer slipped from Thor’s hand and crashed to the earth with a bang. Steve swung his shield to block the creature from attempting to lift the hammer and made a move to try and lift it himself. It budged in the tiniest of motions but no matter what he tried it wouldn’t lift.

“Cap, look out!” Scarlett shouted but before Steve could turn he was lifted off of the ground. Using his shield he smashed hard at the creature’s face but was then swung roughly and smashed into the ground before he was lifted back into the air. An arrow shot through the sky with a whistle and slipped right through the shadow before landing in the ground and exploding, sending dirt flying everywhere.

“Now what?” Clint shouted from somewhere within the fading darkness.

“Incoming!” Whistling through the air and through the electrical net the Mark armor arrived. Scarlett took off at a run to get out of the way. Flipping forward, Tony cut the thrusters and allowed his machine to crash feet first into the shadow then released an electronic burst, harnessing the same power that created the electronic net which trapped the shadow and then smashed them all into the ground. Then he slammed two armored fists hard into the dirt. Sides of the armor peeked open one at a time, popping up from elbow to wrist before sending impulses into the ground beneath him. Twelve lines of explosions emerged in circular pattern all around him, creating a crater beneath his feet.

The shadow howled and growled, forcing its grip away from Thor and Steve but not before throwing them in either direction. Tony flipped away from it and hovered just below the electrical barrier, watching as the shadow dissipated and began to fade. Then it laughed; a terrible laugh that sent chills through all watching. Laughter became gurgling and the shadow melted into the ground then spread across the circular trap until the ground was nowhere to be found.

One by one shadow took shape, rising out of it like otherworldly demons. There was Scarlett, Mitchell, the horned man, and now it seemed as though there were additions, taller, stronger men. Scarlett struck a guess that Thor and Steve had gotten just a little too close to that creature for comfort and would now be used against them. Each sat with their backs to the center of the trap and in unison they stood upright then held their hands in front of them. The shadow of their arms and fingers shifted and changed into elongated, twisted, horrible blades dripping as though soaked in the shadow.

“This isn’t good.” Clint muttered.

“Enough!” Scarlett twisted the blade in her hand and swung at the man in front of her half expecting the blade to tear through nothingness as Clint’s arrow had but instead she was met with shape and form and the shadow grabbed at her sword to stop her from a second swing and thrust his own blade-like hand toward her. Swinging him hard, Scarlett kicked the shadow away and the creature stumbled toward Steve. With a clang his shield bashed into the creatures head and then he punched him hard down into the ground. Then he turned quickly to block the attack of another one of the creatures. From the corner of his eye he could see the shadow monster himself regaining his strength behind those that protected it. Barely, within the shadow, he could make out the outline of Caitlyn.

With a nod toward Scarlett he confirmed that she’d seen the same thing. They would exhaust themselves trying to fight this creature the way they were. Sure, they could knock it down but it seemed to have the annoying ability of regenerating itself. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t have the same luxury. Eventually the creature would harm them and even if it was a small bit of harm, it would take its toll. They had to reach Caitlyn.

Steve crouched low to the ground as the shadows returned to him.

“Ready?” He shouted. Without confirmation, Scarlett ran toward him from behind, leapt over his shoulders, swung her blade at the shadow coming toward him and landed feet first on top of the round shield Steve held above his head. With a yell he pushed her high into the air, propelling her over the heads of the shadow creatures that made great leaps in attempts to grab her.

The darker Mitchell ran toward Scarlett at great speed, spun around her and made an attempt to grab her. Scarlett ducked low, swung her blade, grabbed the shadow and pinned it to the ground. Stronger than Scarlett by far, the shadow lifted her off the ground and threw her onto her back. As the shadow rose to its feet it swung its bladed arms threateningly. The Mark armor soared through the air, grabbed the shadowy blade and bent it backwards and out of place.

Growling the creature melted away, twisted to face Tony and then sent the armor flying through the air. Turning his thrusters to stop his flight, Tony turned on a dime in the air and flew straight into the creature.

“Jarvis, full power!”

“Yes, sir.” The computer responded and the flame from the thrusters burned so hot that the shadow blasted into pieces, splattering into the air. Scarlett got to her feet and rushed toward Caitlyn. The little girl was swaying back and forth, her head lolling from side to side, eyes blank, mouth stretched beyond recognition.

“Caitlyn! Caitlyn, you have to listen to me! I know you’re in there!”

Her mouth opened wide but her lips didn’t move as a dark and wicked voice came through from the other side.

“There is no Caitlyn, only death.” It howled, barely intelligible.

“Well then, I guess I’m talking to you until you bring her back!” Scarlett shouted and the little girl’s eyes flashed with hatred. That was why they weren’t making any progress in the battle. The creature was never in front of them to begin with. Yes, they’d witnessed it the night before in the park when it had chosen to reveal itself but now it was taking refuge within the little girl’s body. That was why she couldn’t fight back, why she couldn’t talk. “What kind of cowardly piece of shit uses a little girl to do his bidding, huh? You made her all these promises, lies about some fairy tale ending she’d live if she helped you! All she wanted was to be loved so you manipulated that desperation for your own selfish gain? Pathetic.”

The shadow creatures advanced on Scarlett, multiplying in number. Scarlett ducked as one of them swung at her. The damage they were doing as a collective team to the monsters surrounding them was forcing them to keep simpler forms, becoming unrecognizable. Blocking the shadow blade with her glove she stabbed hard at the creature’s middle and kicked it away. Before she could aim her Tesla glove the Mark armor landed in front of her and blasted the shadow so terribly that it flew straight into the electronic net and disintegrated into ash.

Behind her Scarlett could feel the shadow advancing, the one that surrounded Caitlyn, the same shadow that hid the creature that was causing all of this, using this girl’s gift to spread terror.

“You had to possess her just to take control of her! Do you really think she’s going to let you do this for much longer?” Scarlett goaded the creature that towered over them. The crown of bones began to peek out of the shadow, spreading itself wider to encompass more of what they recognized. “You couldn’t do it on your own, that’s why you used her. You weak piece of garbage.”

“I’m not exactly sure that’s helping.” Scarlett could hear Tony’s voice through her earpiece but she ignored him. The repulsors burst another shadow creature as it ran toward her. Scarlett turned and blocked another shadowed blade before sending it straight toward Tony who shot it into pieces. When they worked together they made a pretty good team. Turning to face the shadow she held her charged glove and sword at the ready. The Iron Man armor hovered behind her and she heard the familiar whir of the repulsors being charged for a shot.

Scarlett coughed and choked, she could hear the others in just as much misery. The air had grown thicker in an instant. The creature was making its way through. Perhaps it was Scarlett that had made him realize his time was limited, but something she’d said had summoned him from his hiding place.

“There’s one problem big guy, she’s smarter than you think. She knows there’s no palace waiting for her, no family, just a legion of whatever the hell you are.” Scarlett spat.

“Everything’s almost in place.” Tony spoke through the earpiece, using the rebooted Jarvis to monitor Mickey and Mitchell who were still putting everything into position. All they would need to do now would be position the trap and hope that it worked even with half the equipment busted up.

“Once you realized she might want to go home you wore her thin! Torturing a little girl… you really are a monster. Don’t you think she knows that no matter how bad life was before she met you it was better than what she’s being put through now?”

The creature swung his terrible arms and smashed them into the ground, easily knocking everyone off balance. Scarlett ducked and Tony made to grab the shadowy arms but it swung him with great force and sent the armor flying.

“What the hell are you doing just standing there in front of it? It’s going to kill you!” Bruce’s voice was out of breath.

“I’m making a point!”

“She’s distracting it, buying you time!” Steve spoke into his earpiece and held his shield in front of him to stop the electrical barrier from making his fingers numb as he ran through it.

“None of you are supposed to be in there, do you have any idea what that radiation can do to you passing through it so many times? Not to mention all the garbage coming out of that portal!”

“We can stop it!” Steve encouraged.

“What does it matter if it sentences you to radiation sickness, huh?” Bruce argued but Steve was obviously not discouraged.

“We have to get moving, this thing is smart.”

“Fine, fine!” Bruce grumbled and massaged his temples then lifted the small round trap from the ground and handed it to Steve. “I need this in the center, as close as you can. Agent Bennett will alert you when you’re in place, alright? Don’t let it get crushed.”

“Can do.”

“Thor?” Bruce turned and nodded toward the cracked pole that was shooting electricity every which way. “I need your help getting that under control.”

“What do you suggest we do?”

“I can’t touch it but I think you can. If you get close to it I can help you fix it!”

“You stay here, I can help him.” Mitchell had rejoined them, nearly scaring Bruce out of his skin after having thought she was still busy with Mickey. “I watched you put it together, no brainer. My guess is that something’s cracked.”

“We’re on it.” Thor started toward the electronic barrier but then just like that the electrical current crackled, lightning struck the ground from one of the other poles and the whole damn thing shut off.

“Shit.” Natasha cursed under her breath and spun to face Jinx who was still at the computer. “What the hell just happened?”

“Malfunction!”

“Obviously.”

“Thor, Mitchell, we need you over there now! Hurry! If this thing gets out…” Jinx had a bad feeling in her chest, but she thought it would be redundant to share her fear.

“Keep that thing in this area, we cannot let it loose! Barton!” Natasha shouted and watched as Bruce clutched at his chest and made attempts to keep his calm.

“Here!” Clint ran toward them from the center where he’d stayed after the machine had been turned on.

“Keep that thing from spreading.”

“Got it.” With ease he withdrew an arrow from his quiver and aimed it toward the center of where the electronic net had once been. A spray of electricity spattered all over the ground and the shadow swooped over it. Unfortunately it also spread past the poles, across the ground and toward them.

“Dr. Banner you need to get out of here.” Natasha prepared herself for a fight. “If you think that you’re going to…”

“I can handle myself.” Bruce challenged her. Before she could make an argument for her the shadows were on them. One of the creatures tackled Bruce to the ground and the doctor yelled in pain but nothing about that yell sounded normal. Natasha grabbed the shadow by its shoulders, flipped over it, kicked it in the face and away then leapt on top of it and released the shock of her taser into it. Hand on the creature’s face, Natasha watched as it melted away into the ground with success but then her smile faded as the shadow wrapped around her hand, spread up her arm and across her chest.

“What the…?” The shadow spread over her form, trying to consume her. She couldn’t breathe, no matter what she did, where she pulled, there was nothing to harm, nothing to hurt. It was becoming her.

“Nat!” Clint shouted, running over to her. “What do I do?”

“I don’t…” Shadow covered Natasha’s face, smothering her and she nearly collapsed in place. Clint tried to pull at the shadow, tried to urge it away but nothing worked. Then Natasha suddenly swung at him and punched him hard in the stomach.

“Nat, hey! That’s me!” Clint blocked her next punch and watched as she twisted away from him, kicked beneath his legs, smacked him hard in the head and then practically crawled onto his back and began to choke him. Clint coughed and grabbed at her arms but she squeezed tighter in an attempt to knock him unconscious.

Elbowing her in the stomach, he felt her grip release just enough for him to grab her and flip her over his head. She landed on the ground but leapt up at once before coming at him again. It took all of Clint’s training to block the woman of immense skill. When she grabbed at his throat again he head butted her and hard! She fell back, stumbling in place, seeing stars in her vision. Shadow melted away, into a puddle on the ground, releasing Natasha from its grip. Clint aimed his bow and shot an arrow into the mess, watching as the shadow caught fire. It hissed and growled almost like a parasite.

“Are you alright?” Clint stumbled in place as he acknowledged Natasha who nodded though he could see blood coming from her ear. She’d suffered from a similar blow the night before, why’d he have to hit her in the head?

“Dr. Banner? Dr. Banner!” Jinx abandoned the computer and knelt in front of Bruce who was struggling to keep himself together. He was clutching his chest and if she didn’t know better she would have guessed he was having a stroke or something. “Dr. Banner, it’s alright!”

“Shut up!” He growled.

“No! Look, it’s going to be okay. We’ve got this! I know you can get this too! You have this, it’s under control.” Jinx assured him, looking at him with a smile on her face. She was nervous but she had faith that the doctor wouldn’t have put himself into a dangerous situation if he didn’t know what he was doing.

“What?” Bruce thought it was very obvious that he was very much no longer in control of anything and yet this woman was sitting there smiling at him with those haunting multicolored eyes.

“You got this! I have faith in you.” She smiled but then winced as she heard something crash behind her. “However, I have much less faith in what’s going on back there. I need to help them. Are you okay?”

“Yeah… I think.” Bruce couldn’t believe it but he actually was okay. Natasha had set him off when she’d basically told him to get lost because he couldn’t take care of himself. Jinx had brought him back around for having faith that he could handle it on his own. His heart was still racing but the pressure in his head wasn’t about to burst anymore either.

“This thing is going to try to set you off. You should go to the jet and radio instructions from there. You’ll be untouchable!” Jinx spoke reassuringly but hoped by redirecting the doctor they could keep from having another adversary to battle against. Bruce considered it and then nodded his head. He felt sick and his hands were shaking. He would be of no use to them if he kept getting knocked down by shadow creatures. There was only so much he could handle before he snapped. Natasha had been right to try and send him away but Jinx had done it in a way that made much more sense.

Without another word, Bruce limped away toward the jet, trying to keep from drawing any further attention to himself.

Thor watched the doctor go and then pulled the damaged pole from the ground and tossed it to Mitchell who caught it with ease and flipped into one of the trees above her.

“How long do you need?” Thor could see the shadows advancing on them. It knew what they were trying to do and was going to make any attempt to stop them.

“A few minutes at most!” Mitchell shouted back down.

“I’ll do what I can. Do your best.”

“Are you sure?” Mitchell was more than capable of handling the shadow creatures and aiding the Asgardian God but she was the only one besides Tony who would know how to put the machine back together. Sure, Scarlett could figure it out with some time but she hadn’t been around to help them build it so it was up to her.

Thor smashed the shadows into the ground, shaking the tree. Several of them made attempts to climb on top of him and posses him but he pried them away and tossed them to the ground with ease. He caught sight of the sparking pole at the far end of the clearing and he glanced toward Mitchell up in the tree. Smashing his hammer hard into the ground a bolt of lightning scattered like a minefield all the way across the park. Scarlett leapt out of the way just in time before continuing to fight one of the shadow creatures that had come for her.

“Excuse me, Miss Damien!” Thor shouted as he took flight toward the other pole. Scarlett waved that it was fine and continued her battle. Thor pulled the pole out of the ground and started back toward the tree. Mitchell had put the pole aside and had leapt from branch to branch, swinging behind one of the creatures that had interrupted her.

“I thought you were distracting them!” She shouted as she kicked one of them hard in the face and then ducked low as one swung a shadowy blade toward her. Thor tossed the second pole toward her and she caught it with ease.

“Figured I’d save us some time, madam!” Thor shouted as he pulled the shadow away from the tree and summoned a bolt of lightning from the heavens that sent the shadow flying. Turning to swing toward the next creature that came for him he instead felt something heavy smash into him and send him crashing into the ground. The Mark armor fell off of him and smashed into the ground next to him, both of them sliding and carving a path in the grass. Grunting, Thor grabbed the armor and threw it off of him. Tony flipped up his helmet and blinked in surprise at Thor as he righted himself.

“Sorry about that.”

“No problem man of iron, you couldn’t have had better timing.” Thor got to his feet with ease. Tony joined him and groaned in frustration. You’d think that being covered in metallic armor would keep him from feeling the aches and pains of battle but there was no such thing. His eye was burning where blood had trickled from a cut on the bridge of his nose and jaw.

“Really? I didn’t think there was a good time to crash back first into an Asgardian God.”

“I could use your assistance replacing these electronic rods once the teleporting woman has finished their repairs.” Thor nodded toward the tree they’d flown away from and Tony considered this before slamming his helmet back into place.

“Rock on, Axl.” The suit rose into the air and soared back toward the tree where Mitchell was kicking away shadow creatures that had shrunk in side but were crawling up the trunk, shrieking and clawing at the bark. “I could use a little more power Jarvis.”

“I’d be happy to help with that.” Thor held his hammer high above his head. Clouds covered the sky, darkening the rising moon. Thunder clapped and lightning struck from cloud to cloud before striking down to his hammer and being absorbed by the end of it.

“I’m not sure that’s going to be a good…” Before Tony could object Thor aimed the hammer toward him and the lightning shocked through the suit and Tony crashed to the ground in his armor, catching himself on one knee. Jarvis’ voice was garbled and intelligible for a moment before it sprang back to life.

“Power levels are magnified to incredible levels, sir.”

“I can’t feel my fingers, but I’ll take it.” Flying into the air, Tony circled the tree and fired his repulsors at the shadows. They disintegrated one by one as he pecked them off. Screeching the creatures took to leaping toward the Mark armor in an attempt to stop him from interfering.

“Excellent shooting, sir.”

“All those hours of Call of Duty had to pay off somehow.” The ground shook and the tree groaned and nearly fell over. Mitchell leapt from the branches just in time and managed to run out of the way as the tree collapsed, roots pulled out of the ground as it split beneath it. The Iron Man suit crashed into the bark of the tree as an elongated clawed arm swatted at him. With the electronic barrier gone the mass of shadow that had come through the portal had grown. The ground shook and trembled, the wind howled and debris began to pick up and fly to and fro.

“For centuries I have craved the mortal realm…” The voice bellowed through the air, seemingly from every corner of the park. “I can taste your mortal souls, dripping with sin.”

“Tony look out, it’s got its eye on you.” Scarlett hissed into her earpiece and smashed her gloved fist into the ground before turning to slash at another shadow creature behind her.

“That’s good, right?”

“Only if it doesn’t kill you.” Scarlett jumped out of the way as the ground broke underneath her.

“I will devour you… one by one…” The shadow spoke almost as though reading from a nursery rhyme. “Until you can no longer draw breath.”

The heated air from the portal kept fluctuating. Whatever power was being absorbed by this creature was beyond his control. Scarlett could feel it.

The earth fell from beneath her and Scarlett jumped away then closer to the shadow where she knew Caitlyn was hidden within. Risking being unarmed Scarlett pulled the crumpled up drawings from the inside of her coat.

“Look at these! We found them in your old room! Even then you knew what this thing was! You fell for these lies because you wanted to! Come on, Caitlyn! Get out of there and talk to me!” There was a terrible groaning that filled the air, hurting Scarlett’s ears as she got closer. She could hear Steve yelling at her to back away.

“It’s lost control, Scarlett! Get out of there!”

“You’re just a tool, you’re nothing to him! He makes it through here and he’s going to destroy any chance you have at a normal happy life! You really think he’s going to make you some kind of princess?” The ground crumbled beneath Scarlett’s feet and suddenly the portal behind her burst and she fell face forward in the dirt. Catching herself on her right arm, Scarlett then ducked low as she heard something whizz over her head. “Caitlyn, stop this!”

There was an ear splitting scream from within the shadow and Scarlett held her hands over her ears and ducked low to the ground, but not because she wanted to. The weight of the air from the portal was pressing her down.

“No! No! Enough!” Someone screamed from within the shadow. Scarlett thought for sure it was one of her comrades. The shadow was breaking through, they weren’t able to repair the electronic barrier in time.

They’d failed.

A burst of energy sent Scarlett flying through the shadow and before she could twist to catch herself she was caught in mid-air. Tony had swooped in and kept her from being thrown aside. Wind hissed and howled when suddenly the portal began to shrink and collapse. The ground crumbled and flew through the air toward the portal. Tony kept in the air, watching as the portal fell apart and the shadow that had so affected Central Park began to dissipate.

Frantically the shadow creature ran toward the portal in an attempt to escape.

“We have to stop him!”

“I thought we wanted him to go back into the portal!” Tony shouted.

“Not with her we don’t.” Scarlett charged her Tesla glove and Tony nodded his affirmation. The Mark armor whirred beneath her and the repulsors in his glove charged. Together they aimed at the shadow and blasted it hard into the ground. It crashed with a growl and shadow dripped from its form, revealing its hideous face. Again the portal fluctuated and the air grew heavy then thinned once again.

“Agent Bennett we sure could use that trap Dr. Banner built! Up and running I mean!” Steve shouted over his headset. The fluctuating pressure was making him nauseous, he couldn’t imagine how the others had to feel.

“Still waiting for the radiation pulse but we’ve got a big problem.” Jinx muttered, out of breath. Whatever she was doing on the computer was taking all of her focus and energy. “Radiation levels are off the charts. You guys are in trouble.”

“So is that little girl.” Steve responded. Thor soared toward the demon as it crawled toward the portal in search of escape. It hoped to recuperate and come back to fight for another day but he wasn’t having it. There was no sign of Caitlyn, the shadow had engulfed her entirely from head to toe. Hammer struck the shadow and smashed it hard into the ground. At first it didn’t move and the air continued to swirl around them but all fell silent.

“I’ve got them, they’re fixed!” Mitchell shouted through the wind.

“We’ve got to get out of the way.” Steve nodded in confirmation. Now was their chance. He had placed the trap in the center of the demolished area of Central Park in preparation for the final act.

Groaning the creature stopped trying to get to the portal and instead arched his back, his breathing was labored. His back elongated, each bone of his spine stretched and curled. Shadow spread from his bones and laughter echoed through the clearing.

“No trap…” He growled and before Thor could raise his hammer for another blow the creature exploded with shadow, spreading throughout the park.

“What about Caitlyn?” Mickey shouted from the sidelines, careful to stay behind the electronic poles that would soon be reactivated.

“We haven’t given her a chance!” Scarlett’s voice was barely heard over the rush of wind.

“Where the hell is she?” Clint searched through the darkness, his keen eyes unable to spot anything.

“There!” Tony searched the shadows with Jarvis and found the girl, huddled up with her arms around her knees seated in front of what remained of the portal. Pieces of it had fallen away, like a shattered mirror reflecting their worst nightmares.

“What if we can’t save her?” Steve grimaced, finally acknowledging that it was even a possibility.

Scarlett didn’t respond and everyone knew the answer. Suddenly the air seemed heavier for an entirely different reason.

Tony dropped Scarlett in front of the portal and soared off through the air, blasting at the shadow creature that spun around them in a desperate attempt to thwart them off and buy time to escape. Roaring wind nearly knocked Scarlett off of her feet but she persevered and continued toward the curled up girl who was crying in front of the portal. As she made it within earshot parts of the shadow came soaring toward her, manifested into an elongated hand, grabbed her and threw her ten feet backwards.

Pain spread through her left shoulder and down her arm right to her fingers inside her Tesla glove, making them tingle with numbness. Carefully she got toward her feet, blasted another shadow out of her way and started again through the dark mist toward the little girl. Darkness blocked her vision but she kept onward.

“Keep going straight ahead, veer a little to your left!” Tony spoke through her earpiece to help guide her toward Caitlyn. “She hasn’t moved, that thing is trying to stop you from getting to her.”

Pushing through the shadow, Scarlett kept her Tesla glove charged but it began to spark. Something in the air was affecting it and she guessed it was the unstable radiation leaking from the portal. Just as she could see the outline of the girl another shadow came toward her in hopes of batting her away but she shot it out of the way with her glove. The shock ran all the way up her arm and she gritted her teeth. A second wave of shadow knocked her back a few feet and as she jumped back up yet another came toward her.

Captain America jumped in front of her, blocking the shadow with his shield and then kicking it away. There was another clank as the shadow made a desperate attempt to throw him out of his way so he could get to Scarlett. The drawings Scarlett had taken from Caitlyn’s room at the orphanage fell out of her jacket and were carried on the wind and out of sight into the darkness.

A hand extended to aid Scarlett to her feet. Mitchell had risked entering the area of the trap and helped her.

“I can get you close!” Mitchell knew it was dangerous to try and use her powers so close to this creature that had so severely muted her abilities but had to risk it. Scarlett had been right, Mitchell had seen it. The little girl was the key to stopping the demon from crossing over. If they could even knock her unconscious it would close the portal and the demon would lose strength. Death and torment seemed to drive him and there were plenty of dead within the portal that would power him until he could spread his wicked desires throughout the city of Manhattan.

The blue portal sparked and appeared in front of Mitchell and Scarlett leapt through it without hesitation, completely trusting the fox demon to do the right thing. Scarlett came out the other end right in front of Caitlyn who barely acknowledged her. Instantly she grabbed onto the little girl’s shoulders and kept her grip tight. Behind her she heard Mitchell land and join her on the other end of the blue glow as it began to dissipate. Using her skills had drained her but she was strong enough to keep going.

“There’s no fairytale ending, you know that. There’s no such thing. If you keep this up all you’ll find is death. Didn’t you see what’s in there? Bones… that’s all that will be left if you let him pass. Bones, Caitlyn!”

“No.” Caitlyn whispered and finally looked up at Scarlett. For a moment she was scared, helpless and then she was hardened. A wave of great force came from within the girl and Scarlett was thrown away from her into the air. Mitchell grabbed Scarlett’s right hand and pulled her back to the ground, helping her regain her footing. As the shadow made an attempt to throw them both back, Mitchell summoned another portal and pulled them closer to Caitlyn. “Why should I listen to someone who’s calling me a murderer? You’re just as bad as they are!”

“If you keep this up, it won’t be an accusation, it’ll be true!”

Caitlyn stared at the woman in front of her and then down on the ground. One of the drawings that had escaped her grip lay in front of her. It was covered with dirt and blood but she could see herself, the crown on her head, smiling and happy. Tears escaped her eyes as she was forced to face the reality that none of this was what she had wanted. No matter how she tried to deny what she’d created, it was happening and she had to face the facts.

“Reality sucks sometimes but at least it’s real. What’s happening right now is real. It’s not your imagination, it’s not some fairytale, it’s happening. If you don’t stop now then there will be nothing but blood on your hands. Real blood. My blood, their blood… it’s all on you.” Scarlett shouted and before Caitlyn could respond, she continued. “It doesn’t matter what kind of people they are, good, wicked, this creature will kill all of us without mercy and there will be nothing left for anyone, nothing left for you, not here, not anywhere!”

The shadow came for Scarlett and Mitchell and they were shoved backward but braced themselves as much as they could. Caitlyn picked the drawing up out of the dirt and turned it over in her hands.

“This isn’t what I wanted.” Scarlett barely heard the girl talking over the whistle of the wind. Turning away from them she got to her feet on her thin legs and looked toward the darkness, toward something the others couldn’t see. “Stop! It’s time for you to go home! I don’t want to play anymore!”

“It’s too late.” The shadow growled and the portal pulsed and fluctuated then grew in size.

“Now! We’re ready!” Thor shouted to Jinx, rising into the air once he’d placed the final electrical pole in place.

“Agent Bennett, it’s now or never! Stop it from spreading!” Bruce shouted from the safety of the jet into the radio. Suddenly the poles came to life, one by one, sparking with electricity until the protective shield suddenly reappeared. Gravity seemed to double on them as the portal was forced to shrink, as the shadow recoiled and was trapped once again within the security net. They would be crushed if this kept up.

“Stop it! Stop it! I don’t want you to hurt anyone!” Caitlyn screamed over the shadow that compressed even her to the ground. “These people are trying to help me! I thought you were my friend!” Suddenly the wind died down and the shadow drenched creature reappeared, allowing them a moment to breathe. He crouched in front of Caitlyn and looked into her sunken eyes. Dainty hands touched the skeletal face and she smiled. “You were my friend once.”

The creature growled and Scarlett and Mitchell kept each other standing as they waited to see if this demonic monster would suddenly have a change of heart.

“Please…” She whispered. All lay still in the electronic net except for the shadows that hissed and swirled around the demonic creature.

“No.” A low growl shook the already destroyed ground beneath their feet. The monster opened its mouth and a swarm of darkness and flies flew from within him and encompassed Caitlyn’s being. The body of the little girl disappeared again into the shadow and the monster howled and grew in size, menacing over them once more.