𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐒 | 𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞

𝟎𝟐. 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞

𝐙𝐀𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐗'𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐁𝐄𝐃. It took a minute to remember everything, but once he did, he quickly tried to stand. However, the action was less than graceful as he tripped on an electronic cord and fell, wrapping himself up in the process.

The lights hanging from bizarre angles overhead flickered. While the surrounding shelves were half-empty, the floor was covered in debris from the shattered roof.

Vers groaned as she slowly sat up, drawing attention to herself as Zaksolx tried to untangle himself from the cords that threatened to strangle him. Although she looked equally as disoriented at first, a smug smirk crossed her lips as she laid eyes on him. As the cords were bound around his mouth like a gag, he could only offer a sheepish, but concealed smile.

It certainly looked like she had several insults at the tip of her tongue, ready to bite away whatever remnants of his dignity remained, but she refrained. Instead, she dusted the debris from her Starforce uniform before moving to his side in an effort to untie him.

Once free, Zaksolx cleared his throat, dusted himself off, and offered his appreciation. However, she raised a hand, stopping him before he could muster a single word. "You're welcome. Now as much as I'd love to hear some praise for saving your hide, we've got bigger problems."

Zaksolx raised an eyebrow in confusion and turned his head to check their surroundings. "What—"

"Shhh." She covered his mouth with her hand while holding up a single finger for emphasis. His confusion lasted up to the moment that she gestured to the shadowy figure at the front of the store. Without time for delay or consideration, her fist lit up in a flare of neon hues.

He'd forgotten about her extraordinary abilities, so as the ball of energy was fired from her wrist and collided with the head of the cardboard cutout, he gulped while imagining the pain felt on the other side of her hands.

"Remind me to never cross you," Zaksolx muttered under his breath.

She continued her pattern of strong silence, but her lips curved upward into another smirk. She took a breath then flipped open the communicator attached to her wrist. "Vers to Starforce Command. Do you read me?"

There was no reply. Vers continued to attempt making contact with her team, but with little success. Moments later, she'd given up and joined Zaksolx as he walked down an aisle lined with small plastic boxes on metal shelves. Intrigued, Vers picked up one of the boxes from the shelf labeled 'Action Movies' and flipped it around to read the summary along the back.

However, something outside just as quickly stole her attention away and she was on the move again. Zaksolx looked up in confusion from his own action film as Vers walked past without a word and stepped outside the store through the window they'd shattered rather than the door beside it.

With a gentle sigh, Zaksolx placed the film back onto the shelf and followed after her, careful not to trip over the cords that had once restrained him.

Vers wiped the dust from her shoulders and straightened her suit to regain her lost confidence back from their strange surroundings. Then, she marched up to the clearest vehicle and knocked against the window to gain the attention of the individual within. Slowly, the window squeaked with every inch it moved.

Vers bent down, brushing the hair that fell in front of her eyes as she did. "Hi. I'm Vers. Kree Star Force. Is this C-53?"

The human within the vehicle's jaw slightly dropped while his eyes constantly shifted back and forth between the two people who seemingly fell from the sky.

"Do you understand me?" Vers asked, snapping her fingers to try and keep his attention. Annoyed, Vers turned to look back toward Zaksolx while referring to the device around her wrist. "Does he understand? Is my universal translator working?"