What if...? // K A T E L E N A

Chapter Ten: Junior Varsity

Kate opened her eyes briefly, attempting to make sense of her surroundings with her head spinning.

She scanned the room, her eyesight moving to every corner. Flickering fluorescent lights hung from the ceiling, casting unease shadows that danced on the walls.

It was a dimly lit, windowless cell with cold, damp concrete walls.

She wasn't alone. There were three other girls in the cell that were also struggling, clearly trying to gather their strength.

As she managed to sit and leaned her back on the wall, She let out a big exhale.

Kate winced as bits of her memory came back.

She recalled the rough hands that had grabbed her, the suffocating cloth forced over her face, and the chemical smell that knocked her unconscious.

The sensation of fear surged back as she remembered struggling to breathe before darkness enveloped her.

"Oh my God," Kate gasped, her breathing quickening as the horrifying realization set in.

She had been abducted...

Panic clawed at her chest, but she fought to stay calm.

Meanwhile, the girl beside her noticed Kate's breathing.

This girl is wearing a casual outfit. She is dressed in a dark-colored jacket over a t-shirt, casual and practical.
She woke up first before Kate.

"Hey," the girl uttered softly.

Kate glanced at her, attempting to calm herself.

"Just breathe in and out," she reassured, helping Kate to calm down.

Kate blinked, focusing on Kamala's face.

"You seemed so familiar. Have we met?" she asked, her voice tinged with confusion as her breathings start to get slowly.

The girl stared at her, and then nodded. "Oh, yeah... you're at the bar last night. The sad drunk girl."

Kate's memory clicked. "Oh, no, I was not drunk, Cassie. See, I remember your name."

Kamala shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips.

"No, that's Cassie," she said, pointing to the still-lying girl in the corner gathering strength to sit up.

"I'm Kamala Khan." She added with a smile.

Kate's face flushed with embarrassment. "My mistake. Nice to meet you, Kamala Khan. I'm Kate Bishop."

"Wait, Bishop?" She examined Kate's face. "Oh my god! How did I not recognize you? You're Katherine Elizabeth Bishop?"

Kate raised an eyebrow, "Kate is fine." still dizzy but now curious. "Wait, how did you-"

Kamala exhales, cutting her off. "We've been looking for you. Well, technically, I have. We just dragged America into this mess."

She faces Kate with a serious expression, her eyes narrowing and her brows furrowing slightly.

"I even went to your apartment. I waited in the dark, trying to be this mysterious figure sneaking around inside your home, but unfortunately, you never came back." She added as her expression reflects her dedication and the lengths she's gone to find Kate.

"Oh, so... you're like this mysterious vigilante waiting in the shadows for me?" Kate asked, raising an eyebrow with a mix of amusement and curiosity. A small, wry smile played on her lips as she tilted her head slightly.

Kamala nodded.

"I must apologize for keeping you waiting. Anyway, why are you looking for me?" Her expression shifted to one of earnest interest, her eyes widening slightly and her brow relaxing as she focused intently on Kamala.

Kamala, now animated despite her own dizziness, explained, her eyes lighting up with excitement, "I'm forming a team. It's kind of like a team that fights bad guys, you know, even if we're not adults."

Kate chuckled, her amusement breaking through her dizziness. She raised an eyebrow and smirked, the corners of her eyes crinkling. "What, like a junior varsity fighting team?" her stance relaxing as the absurdity of the situation sank in.

"Exactly! But that's a terrible name, by the way. You have to come up with a better team name," Kamala said, grinning.

Kate glanced around the cell, her eyes scanning the cold, dimly lit space before returning to Kamala.

She let out a dry chuckle, a half-smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Well, this is certainly one way to do a recruitment drive."

Kamala laughed, the sound a mix of amusement and resignation. "Yeah, not the most appropriate place, but here we are."

Kate nodded, the dizziness starting to fade as her determination took over. "Alright, Kamala, let's see what this junior varsity team can do."

"What the heck?" America blurted out, her voice sharp with confusion and irritation.

"What's wrong, America?" Kamala asked, turning to see America's face contorted in frustration, her knuckles white as she clenched her fist tightly.

"My powers aren't working!" America added, her voice tinged with desperation and anger, eyes wide and brows drawn together.

-

End.