UNKNOWN GUEST

#1 The Future

All characters in this story belong to Marvel Studios and Marvel Comics. This story is a work of fan fiction, and the progression of the plot is entirely a product of my imagination. Please enjoy this fictional tale and feel free to leave your feedback in the comments. Thank you for reading!

March 2042

I opened my eyes, and everything was dark, like my entire world was drenched in shadows. Suddenly, giant flames of fire roared around me, almost scorching my skin. Where am I? Where did the Avengers facility go?!

I sat up on the ruined land and looked up to see the last remnants of the gigantic Avengers facility. Pain shot through my body, and I winced as I noticed a nasty gash across my ribcage. My uniform—Dad's uniform, his treasured symbol of bravery—was torn and burned in various spots.

Suddenly, something dropped from the sky with a heavy thud, like a fruit falling from a tree. My eyes widened in shock. Uncle Sam! I struggled to my feet and limped over to him.

"Uncle Sam!" I bent down to check on him, only to find one of his wings had been ripped off his suit. With just one wing, he had plummeted from the sky. The shield in his hand was broken in two, right down the middle.

He lay on the ground, breathing heavily and clearly in pain. "James, leave. Go away! That monster will kill you."

I looked up and saw the gigantic red beast—the Red Hulk—engaged in a brutal fight with the flying Iron Man.

I shook my head, determined. "How can I run away when the Red Hulk is out here trying to kill anyone who wants to protect me? I can't just leave!"

Sam shook his head, desperate. "You have to! You gotta leave."

The Iron Man flew towards me, his movements unsteady, and landed with a stumble. He was about to collapse, but I caught his arm just in time. That's when I saw it—his other arm, burned to a crisp, practically useless. I supported him as he sank to the ground, and his mask opened with a click, revealing severe burn marks on his face.

"Uncle Tony!" I gasped.

He struggled to breathe. "Kiddo, get out of here."

I shook my head, frustration boiling inside me. "Where should I go without you guys? This beast will come after me for my blood anyway, doesn't matter where I hide."

Uncle Tony nodded weakly, his breaths shallow. "That's why I have a plan. Go to my locker." He handed me a sleek metallic pen. "Here. This is the key. Open it, you'll find a ball-like instrument there. Just set the time and go away."

Confusion clouded my mind, but he continued. "We don't have enough time, Jamey. We can't let that monster get the super serum blood running in your body. Go to my place, open that device, and disappear."

I connected the dots, my heart pounding. "Are you telling me to disappear? Is it a time machine?"

He nodded. "Yes. Go back in time and prevent this Red Hulk transformation. Then the future for all of us will be secure. Otherwise, Red Hulk will kill everyone, just like he did now. Go!"

With his broken shield, Sam stood up and looked at me, forcing a smile. "Go, buddy. We had a great time."

Uncle Tony struggled to his feet, his voice softer now. "Kiddo, I love you. Your mom and dad loved you too."

I sighed, realizing this was their way of saying goodbye. "I love you guys. I'll come find you in the past."

Uncle Tony and Uncle Sam nodded. With that, I turned and sprinted towards Stark Tower, which loomed in the distance, its silhouette dark against the fiery sky.

The ground beneath me was littered with debris, remnants of a battle that had gone horribly wrong. Each step I took was filled with determination and dread. The air was thick with smoke and the acrid scent of burning metal. I could still hear the sounds of battle behind me—the roars of the Red Hulk and the clashing of steel.

I had no damn idea why the Red Hulk wanted my blood. But Uncle Tony said they couldn't let that beast get his hands on me. So, one by one, everyone came to shield me. Mom and Dad were never there for me anyway—a void I've always felt and hated them for. But I saw my family laying lifeless before my eyes. 

The memories of their deaths haunt me. Uncle Buck was the first to fall. He fought valiantly, his strength unmatched, but the Red Hulk was relentless. I watched in horror as the life drained from his eyes, his body lying motionless on the ground. Aunt Wanda followed soon after, her magic flickering out like a dying candle. Her last words were a plea for me to run.

Maria and Nick Fury—stalwart and unyielding—stood their ground until the end. I can still hear Maria's screams and Fury's desperate orders to protect me. Aunt Pepper's death was a brutal blow. She had always been like a second mother to me, and seeing her lifeless body broke something inside me.

Uncle Clint and Aunt Laura were next. They fought with everything they had, but the Red Hulk was unstoppable. Clint's arrows and Laura's fierce determination weren't enough. They died together, side by side, trying to shield me. Aunt Yelena's death was swift and merciless. She never stood a chance against that beast.

And then my friends—Nate, Lila, and Morgan. The Red Hulk believed every child of the Avengers had some kind of superpower. In his twisted mind, he saw them as threats. I can still see the terror in their eyes, the way they screamed for help. The monster showed no mercy, killing them all in his rampage.

Now, I am the last one standing. Every single person I loved, everyone who meant something to me, is dead. They sacrificed their lives for me, believing in a future where I could be safe. I won't let their sacrifices be in vain. I have to change it. I have to prevent the Red Hulk transformation.

I arrived at Stark Tower, the remnants of the building still standing amidst the chaos. The place was barely recognizable, but I knew I had to get to Uncle Tony's floor. I dashed through the wreckage and finally reached the lab.

The room was dimly lit, shadows stretching across every surface. It was hard to see anything clearly, but I had to find the locker Uncle Tony mentioned. I searched frantically, checking every shelf and peering into every dark corner.

After what felt like an eternity, I spotted a metal drawer with a keyhole—perfect for the pen Uncle Tony gave me. My heart pounded as I inserted the pen and turned it. There was a satisfying click, and the drawer sprang open.

Inside was an oval-shaped metallic device, its golden surface gleaming faintly in the dim light. I picked it up, feeling the weight of its significance. My mind was a whirlwind of the cries of my friends and family. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.

There were a few metallic buttons on the device. Which time should I go to? What year? When did the Red Hulk transformation happen? I had no idea.

Then I remembered something Uncle Sam had once mentioned—there was no trouble during the viral pandemic of 2020-2022. Could this be the time? 

Before I could make a decision, the ground beneath me shook violently. Panic surged through me—was the Red Hulk here already? I had to hurry.

I set the device to 2022, my fingers trembling as the floor continued to quake. I had to travel to 2022. But my fingers were trembling because of the unstable floor, and before I could control my movements, I saw in slow motion as the time settled on 2012. No chance to reset. 

The device began to hum and vibrate, and I felt a powerful pull envelop my entire body. My vision blurred, and darkness crept in as the device dragged me through time. The world around me twisted and warped, and I succumbed to the pull of the device, plunging into the unknown depths of the past.