The Other Sister (An Avenger's Reader)

Reality Isn't Always What It Seems

Much too soon we entered the atmosphere of Knowhere. The giant celestial head floating in space as always. As we entered through the eye, the first thing I noticed how much darker it was than usual. Darker and there didn't appear to be as many people around.

    "This place looks deserted." Peter mentioned.

    "I'm reading movement in the third quadrant." Drax relayed.

    "Yep, I'm getting that too. Let's put down right here."

Gamora and I looked at each other from our seats. We could just feel it. We knew he was here. Peter landed the ship and the five of us exited slowly. We made our way across the usually crowded streets, which were now bare with ease. Sneaking all the way until we reached The Collector's domain. I could hear small whispers as we hid behind some larger boxes. Tivan's voice was the one we could hear.

    "I don't have it."

Peter kept me behind him to my annoyance, but I was still glad for his overprotectiveness. He was in front of us all bringing us forward and we continued to follow him.

    "Everyone in the galaxy knows you'd sell your own brother if you thought it would add even the slightest trinket to your pathetic collection."

The second voice send a barrage of shivers up my spine and not the good kind. Thanos was indeed here and he was questioning Tivan about the whereabouts of the stones. Peter put his hand up to signal us all to stop moving as he did. Only, Drax, Gamora and Mantis kept walking forward. Peter looked at them all annoyed. I placed a hand on his shoulder and he gave me a thankful smile for listening to him and we followed after the others.

    "I know you have the Reality Stone, Tivan." Thanos growled. "Giving it to me will spare you a great deal of suffering."

I stood behind some boxes alongside Gamora. Peeking out to see Thanos standing there once again. Unharmed, with two stones already in his Gauntlet. My blood filled with rage as I saw him. How dare he leave me to die? How dare he kill my brother in front of me? How dare he take the tesseract and kill half of the Asgardians on our ship that we had just worked so hard to rescue.

Thanos placed his foot on Tivan's chest and he began to grunt and squeak for air. I felt Peter come up beside me. I could feel his eyes filled with concern land on me, but I couldn't look back at him. They were glued on Thanos.

    "I told you." Tivan struggled to breathe as he spoke. "I sold it... Why would I lie?"

    "I imagine it's like breathing for you." Thanos smirked leaning over his body.

    "Like suicide." Tivan grinned.

    "You do understand." Thanos said happily. "Not even you would surrender something so precious."

    "I didn't know what it was." He gasped as the pressure increased.

    "Then you're more of a fool than I took you for."

    "It's him." Drax growled quietly.

    "Last chance, charlatan." He pressed his foot down harder. "Where's the stone?"

    "Today." Drax breathed. "He pay's for the deaths of my wife and daughter."

    "Drax, Drax, Drax." Peter whispered softly and worriedly over and over. Drax looked over at him as he pulled his blade out. "Whoa wait. Drax! Not yet. Not yet."

Peter moved around the blockade of boxes as Drax walked forward, cutting him off and placing his hands on his chest. Drax looked at him annoyed that he was touching him and stopping him from his goal.