Suspected Terrorists

《24》

I will rise from the fiery pits of Hell.

I will destroy all that is known to mortals.

None will stand in my way. None who pose a threat.

Except you.

What are you?

What makes you special?

What makes you a threat?

I'm not sure.

But I know that no mortal will surpass me.

Not even you and your sorcery.

I sat up immediately after snapping from my dark, haunted sleep, gasping for breath. My body was caked in a light layer of sweat and I could taste small traces of blood in my mouth. I placed a hand over my chest and felt my rapid heartbeat slowly sink back into rhythm as I took deep breaths.

"Wanda? Is everything alright? I heard you tossing and muttering."

I looked up and saw Vision floating through my wall. I sighed. I was too tired to lecture him on walls and privacy.

"I think so," I muttered, but hesitated. "Actually, I'm not sure."

Vision frowned and perched himself on the end if my bed. "D-do you want to talk about it?"

I bit my lip. "I think, the world is in danger."

Vision cocked his head. "When is the world not in danger?"

I smiled but faded back to my resting serious face as I thought back to my dream which wasn't really a dream.

《<>》

Wanda

"It was less of a dream and more of a warning," I explained between sips of my morning coffee.

"Warning about what?" Asked Steve from his spot leaning on the wall with his arms crossed.

"That the devil is rising to end the world. And apparently I pose a threat."

"The devil?" Questioned Vision.

"He said he'll rise from the fiery pits of Hell. What else could that mean?"

"But seriously, Satan?" Rhodey butted in. "Are you sure this wasn't just a bad dream?"

"Positive," I told him, taking another sip from my mug.

"Well we've fought mythic beings before. We can do it again," Steve declared, pushing off the wall and taking a seat opposite me at the table.  "Cause we're the Avengers."

"You're damn right we are," Agreed Sam who tossed him an apple.

I felt the mood of the room change from unsure to proud. I smiled and looked around at my team, my family. Steve casually chomped away at his apple. Rhodey poured himself a glass of orange juice, without the bits. He would say,'solid stuff does not belong in a refreshing drink'. But we all knew he was just fussy. Sam was fascinated by a tiny ant that had somehow made it's way onto the table and was glaring at it intently, as if it were about to jump up and attack.

"I think we are missing a few key members," Vision reminded us.

Steve nodded and tossed the apple into a bin that was really just a posh-looking hole in the wall. "I'll call Nat." And with that, he stood and left the kitchen area.

"Does anything about that ant seem strange to you?" Sam asked me in a hushed voice, eyeing the ant suspiciously.

"Uh no?"

"Are you sure?" He pressed. "Does it look like it has a saddle? Or a camera?"

"No...Sam are you alright? You've been weird about insects since the break in at the warehouse."

Sam immediately straightened and coughed, "Ha ha, no. All good here. Nothin' strange. Ha ha." He speed walked out of the room while Vision, Rhodey and I looked after him with confusion.

"I'm still not clear but that was strange behaviour, yes?" Asked Vision.

"Yep."

"Yeah, definitely strange," agreed Rhodey.

《<>》

Jason

I tossed another rock at the sea in frustration and watched as the plop sent a spray of sea water into an oncoming wave and only to get shoved back into the sea. I felt the same. No matter what I tried I was stuck, I was pushed back into the sea of my mind. My prison.

I walked back up to the garden of Bacchus and stared at my reflection in the calm, still surface. I looked and reflected upon every detail I could see. Sky blue eyes, cropped blond hair, a pale scar on my pink lip. I realised I, was the only person I would ever see, because I was alone.

I punched my reflection, sending ripples and disturbing the calm of the fountain. My fist connected with the base of the fountain and rebounded, not even leaving a crack. I couldn't break anything. I had tried. I had attempted to toss China plates at the floor but they'd just spin and clatter to the ground. I tried to pull up grass, I tried to zap a tree but nothing.

The world Tartarus created in my head may have seemed perfect and exactly the same but there were changes, tiny little details that most wouldn't notice but I did. There was no wind. Nothing that made the trees shake and no breeze that carried the scent of hot chocolate from New Rome. The sky was still. The sun had made its point in the centre of the sky. There was no sunset, no sunrise, no night time. The clouds remained stationary, white balls of fluff that were nailed in place. It was always silent, which was the worst thing. It was eerie. No life, no noise, no...nothing.

The sea was the only thing that made noise on its own. The only thing that moved on its own. A rhythmic dance of to-ing and fro-ing that gave me a sense of calm but also frustration. Why did the sea move? How? There was no breeze and apparently no moon. Was there something there? Was this a clue? An escape? Or just a fluke? No matter what I did to it, nothing inturrupted the dance of the sea. No amount of stones and rocks disturbed the rhythm. Nothing. I was stuck. Alone. In a world that wasn't quite home with the only life being the lifeless pulsing of the sea. Trapped. With no hope of escape.

Unless...

《<>》

Welcome to Part 3 my... I feel like I want to call you guys something. Hmmm. Any suggestions?

Anyway, welcome to Part 3. I hope you enjoy it because I'm really excited to see where this goes.

See you next week,

~Gingerbreadhalfblood