Destiny Arrives Page 7

  She remained easy and undaunted as she stitched, hoping to provide him with the peace that he'd given to her time and time agam. As she worked, she was desperate m her compartmentalization. If she believed for one second that she would lose Vision, she...she...what would be left for her? How would she go on?

  No. Absolutely not. He would be fme.

  He had to be. He had to be.

  Forcmg a smile. Vision thought back to just a half hour earlier. "I'm beginning to think we should have stayed in bed," he chuckled to Wanda. The glint m his eye left quickly and he shoved Wanda away just m time. Corvus Glaive pounced onto the exact spot the Scarlet Witch had been kneeling. Now instead of Wanda's peaceful, loving face. Vision saw a creature that wanted him dead crouched above him.

  Corvus Glaive grabbed Vision by the neck and sprung high in the air with his taut muscular body. The pair came crashing down against a church a few yards away.

  "Vis!" Wanda screamed. She ran into the street and quickly dodged an arc of blue lightning. She had anticipated that Proxima Midnight would be there and listened for her weapon's hum.

  Proxima marched toward the smaller woman, her face contorted in rage. Not to be outdone, Wanda sneered back, hands red and ready to fight. Proxima Midnight swung her staff at Wanda, but this woman had been trained by the greatest fighters on Earth. She bent backward at the waist, letting the staff fly over her. As it passed, Wanda unleashed a spell that used the staff's momentum to carry Proxima Midnight ten yards away.

  Wanda turned her attention to Corvus and Vision, the latter seriously injured and barely able to fight. Before Wanda could help him, however, her distraction cost her—Proxima Midnight's staff struck the Scarlet Witch in the back, causing her to cry out.

  Coivus Glaive growled a compromise. "Give us the Stone and she lives."

  Letting out a primal scream of his own. Vision grabbed Corvus by the neck and launched him high into the sky. They careened into a church steeple and pitched onto a far-off roof, before rolling to a painful and exhausting stop. Both leaped up and continued brawling until Vision unleashed a powerful beam of energy that emanated from the Mind Stone. Corvus Glaive had a millisecond to block the brunt of the blast with his blade, sending streams of energy flying across multiple directions in the town center. One beam reflected perfectly and hit Vision in the chest, knocking him back.

  Her attention on the fight between Conns and Vision, Proxima Midnight failed to see Wanda's hands recharge until it was too late. She sent the villainess soaring into a now fully engulfed vehicle blazing on the side of the road. With Proxima momentarily taken care of, Wanda shot to where she could hear Vision's screams. She found Conns once again huddled over her love, blade pressed violently to the Mind Stone on Vision's forehead. Walking toward him, even Wanda's eyes began to glow

  "Hands off." It wasn't just a warning. Conns Glaive was lifted a dozen feet in the air and sent flying. Wanda picked up Vision and then lifted herself and him up high into the air. But not high enough. From the ground, Proxima aimed her staff at the couple, sending a blue blast at them. It was a direct hit, and Wanda and Vision fell through the roof of a nearby train shed.

  They landed with agonizing force, sliding and rolling along the shed's ground floor. Wanda bent over Vision and tried to lift him. "Come on, come on. Come on. You gotta get up." But he didn't move. Undeterred, Wanda insisted. "You gotta get up. Come on. Hey, we have to go. Okay." Wanda was on autopilot. Every inch of her body was broken in some new and horrific way, but she felt no pain. She had one goal. To get Vision to safety. And nothmg was going to get between her and achieving that.

  The slightest smile crossed Vision's lips as he reached up and touched her face. He loved her, and because he loved her he needed her to get as far away from him as possible. She didn't understand how badly he needed her to live. She'd given him more life than he had any right to have. She'd loved him. Truly loved him. Somethmg he never thought he'd be able to experience. How could she ever truly grasp what she'd given him? "Please. Please leave."

  Wanda leaned in. "You asked me to stay. I'm staying," she said, ferocious and mtense.

  "Please" was all Vision could say before Proxima Midnight and Conns Glaive broke through the roof one by one. They walked to the fallen couple, ready to finish the fight for good.

  Wanda and Vis would die together. Right here. Tonight. Because if only one of them died, there was no point m the other living.

  Wanda stood and faced both of her opponents as an express train passed through the station just behind her. The town was too small for it to stop, but between the cars, Wanda swore she saw... somethmg. Someone? Proxima Midnight followed her look. As the train passed, it was obvious a figure stood in the shadows.

  Proxima threw her spear at the figure. The man caught it and stepped into view. Hair mussed slightly, a blond beard, and a black tactical suit with a familiar star pattern sewn onto the chest made Wanda audibly sigh in relief.

  Captam America had arrived.

  Steve Rogers's presence rippled through the abandoned rail yard. He stood unmoving and completely composed in front of Proxima and Conns, who were so confident moments before and were now backing away hesitantly from their prey.

  And because their attention was focused solely on Captain America, neither Corvus nor Proxima noticed Sam Wilson, also known as the Falcon, swoop in from just behind them.

  Sam kicked Proxima across the rail yard and all the way through a nearby storefront. As Conns reeled, Sam circled back around and fired four missiles at the slender child of Thanos. One of Sam's errant missiles exploded against a wall, briefly backlighting Black Widow as boldly she ran, directly at Corvus Glaive.

  Steve threw Proxima's staff through the air to Black Widow's outstretched hand. Natasha caught it without missing a beat, slid under Corvus's slicing blade, and swung. The staff and Corvus's blade sparked as they clashed together.

  The two sparred, staff versus spear, for a few moments. Having never faced her before, Corvus didn't realize until it was too late that Black Widow was merely testing him to discover his weak spot.

  With no warning, Natasha twisted quickly, dropping to a crouched position, and jammed Proxima's staff deep into Corvus's side. Conns dropped his staff and let out a howl as Natasha drove the spear in deeper. She wanted to make sure he wasn't going to reenter the fight.

  Feelmg the staff shake in her hand. Black Widow let it go quickly, just in time for it to fly through the air, summoned by Proxima Midnight.

  Somersaulting mto the fray. Cap scooped up Conus's staff and blocked Proxima's deadly lunge at Natasha. As Cap and Natasha battled Proxima, Sam saw his opening and swooped back m to kick her once again across the rail yard, and she landed just feet from her fallen partner.

  Cap and Natasha stood over the wounded and incapacitated pair. Sam landed next to them and drew both of his weapons.

  "Get up," came Proxima's deep, rumbling voice.

  Conns answered weakly, "I can't."

  "We don't want to kill you, but we will," Black Widow said, her voice an icy rasp.

  "You'll never get the chance again," Proxima warned. Her voice seemed to echo. The trio watched in stunned silence as a blue blaze shone around Proxima and Conns, lifting them through the rail yard and into the waiting spaceship overhead, pulling Conns's spear right out of Cap's hand.

  As the spaceship flew away, the trio refocused on what mattered: Wanda and Vis.

  "Can you stand?" Sam asked Vision, then offered a hand. With one arm around Sam and the other tight around Wanda, Vision finally struggled to a somewhat upright position. Cap and Natasha stood in front of him, taking in the glitching and severely wounded android.

  "Thank you. Captain," Vision said.

  Weary himself. Captain America's face was stoic as he accepted Vision's thanks. His eyes slid up to the Mind Stone firmly lodged in Vision's forehead, a reminder that this wasn't just some accidental reunion of old friends. Whatever the last two years had been—a break, a hiatus—they w
ere officially coming to an end. Cap knew his next words would put into motion a series of events that not even he could control.

  "Let's get you on the jet," Cap said, trying to keep his voice deceptively light.

  Moments later. Cap, Falcon, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, and Vision—all outlaws thanks to the Sokovia Accords—were aboard a Qumjet, taking off from the Scottish village where Wanda and Vision had found their calm and peace.

  "Now, I thought we had a deal. Stay close, check m, don't take any chances," Black Widow said, exhaustion and mild frustration weighing down each of her words.

  "I'm sorry. We just wanted time," Wanda said, settling in next to Vision.

  Her words hit Steve as he stood m the center of the Quinjet. Time. For someone who'd had more than his share of time on Earth, he never seemed to have any for himself. He understood exactly why Wanda and Vis would want to steal a little of the precious commodity.

  "Where to. Cap?" Sam asked, sitting at the Quinjet's controls. The words snapped Steve out of whatever momentary elsewhereness he'd allowed himself to get lost m.

  Steve looked at Vision and Scarlet Witch. They had grown so much over the past two years. Individually and together. But they had no idea what he knew about what was coming for them. Or how much everyone in that Quinjet would need each other. His decision was an easy one to make. His voice was clear and resolute as he spoke.

  "Home."

  "Shhh," a mother said: gently covering her whimpering child's mouth. "We'll be safe. We'll be safe."

  The Zehobereian woman brushed her daughter's scarlet hair back from her emerald-green forehead. This was a special child. Surely the invaders, visible through the wooden slats of the hut in which they hid, would recognize that and spare them.

  Outside, the screams of the Zehobereians grew louder as life after life was cut short by blaster fire from ruthless soldiers who serv ed the feared Thanos. The girl's mother never imagined the Titan would target her peaceful planet, as he had so many others, to the point where his name even whispered on the wind caused a bone-chilling fear. The little girl screamed.

  "Shhh, Gamora," her mother desperately whispered. But it was too late.

  With a massive crash, the shed doors splintered inward from a soldier's heavy kick. The young girl screamed as she was ripped from her mother's arms. The Zehobereian people were divided mto two groups with a wide path between them. Ringed ships hovered above. An insectoid army pushed and shoved, forcibly keeping the two groups apart. The young girl was carried to the opposite side of where her mother stood, the older woman weeping both m sadness knowing she wouldn't get to see her child grow up, but also in joy, knowing her daughter would live.

  "Mother!" Gamora cried, as she was being violently pulled farther and farther away.

  "Zehobereians," spoke the melodic voice of Ebony Maw as he strolled down the path that divided the population m half. "Choose a side. One side is a revelation, the other an honor known only to a few."

  The daughter ran up and down the sides, searching. "Where's ray mother? Mother!" the little girl demanded, courageous even in the face of potential death. She ran past a guard, deftly dodging him, and directly to the man she knew was responsible. The man who wore the helmet and armor of a commander. The man whose lavender-hued skin was tougher than those of most animals she'd ever seen hunted.

  Thanos bent down. "What's wrong, little one?"

  The girl put her fists on her hips and dared to glare at Thanos. "My mother. Where is my mother?"

  The Titan crouched down, bendmg so they could speak face-to-face. "What's your name?"

  "Gamora," the girl spat out, her tone challenging.

  "You're quite the fighter, Gamora." He extended his hand to her. "Come. Let me help you."

  She extended her hand, letting her tiny fingers wrap around the Titan's index fmger. The two walked away from the parted crowds to an open-air hut, where Thanos knelt.

  Thanos produced a small red handle and showed it to Gamora. "Look. Pretty, isn't it?" Gamora shrugged. Thanos touched a button and twin blades extended from either side. At that, Gamora's eyes widened. He balanced the blade, his index fmger placed strategically below a large red gem at the ornate center of the blade's hilt.

  "Perfectly balanced, as things should be," Thanos instructed. "Too much to one side or the other..." As he spoke, he let the blade wobble, nearly falling, before centering it once again. He held it out to his new protege. "Here, you try." Gamora reached for the blade, which looked much larger poised on her tiny hand. She tried to balance the blade just as Thanos had.

  Behind them Ebony Maw had fmished his march between the Zehobereians, having successfully divided them into two equal groups.

  "Now," Maw proclaimed, "go m peace to meet your maker."

  From one side of the Zehobereians, Thanos's soldiers stepped forward and opened fire. Both sides screamed. Just as Gamora was about to turn her head, Thanos directed her attention back to the balancing blade. He knew which side her mother was on and wanted to spare Gamora the sight.

  "Concentrate," he said, as she started to gam control of the blade, the hilt in the center of her fmger, neither blade moving. Thanos smiled. "There. You've got it."

  And with that: Thanos knew he had a new daughter as well. One who would grow up to be his most precious child of all.

  Holding the very same blade in her hand so many years later Gamora stared out as the Guardians' ship approached Knowhere. Her thoughts were interrupted by the familiar footsteps of Peter Quill. Star-Lord was outfitted with extra weapons for the attack on Thanos. Lifting a grenade belt: he was about to question her when she held up her hand.

  "Gamora. Do you know if these grenades are the 'blow-off-your-junk' kind or the gas kmd? Because I was thinking about hanging a couple on my belt right here, but I don't want to if they're the—"

  "I need to ask a favor" Gamora cut in.

  "Yeah, sure." Quill shrugged.

  Gamora sighed as though the weight of the universe rested on her shoulders. "One way or another the path that we're on leads to Thanos." Gamora stood.

  "Which is what the grenades are for" Quill joked: throwing one high mto the air and catchmg it. Gamora looked over at him, her eyes serious and pleading. She needed him. Quill's face immediately softened. "I'm sorry. What's the...what's the favor?" he asked, his voice a somber whisper. Gamora turned away from him.

  "If things go wrong..." Quill listened, his brow furrowing with each wrenching word Gamora spoke. "If Thanos gets me." The words caught in her throat. She turned to look at him. Her eyes pleading and urgent. "I want you to promise me..." Her voice softened to a hoarse whisper. "You'll kill me."

  "What?" Quill just stared at Gamora. Waiting. Hoping that he'd heard wrong. That she didn't mean he should actually—

  "I know something he doesn't." Gamora turned away from him: unable to continue to watch as the true weight of her request began to sink in. "And if he finds it out, the entire universe could be at risk." "What do you know?" Quill asked, serious.

  "If I tell you, you'd know, too." Gamora was matter-of-fact. Quill understood immediately what she was doing. He stepped closer to her.

  "If it's so important..." He trailed off as he reached out to her, his fingers curlmg around her arm. His touch softened her, and she finally turned to him. "Shouldn't I?" "Only if you wanna die." Her voice was an agonized whisper.

  "Why does somebody always have to die in this scenario?" protested Quill. She stepped closer to him.

  "Just trust me. And... possibly kill me," she said, swallowmg. Gamora could see Quill putting back up his defenses. For him, there was ahvays a plan—or at least a percentage of a plan—that would keep him and his people safe. What Gamora was proposing sounded way too final. And Quill wasn't ready to admit that thmgs had already become as dire as Gamora was making them out to be.

  He needed to pull her out of this. He needed to make her see that things were going to be okay and that they'd survive this, just as they'd survived everyt
hing else. He needed her to stop with all this talk about somebody dying and get her back to thinking about the long and economically abundant future that awaited their perfect little dysfunctional family of misfits.

  "I mean, I'd like to. I really would. But you—"

  Gamora put her hand over Quill's mouth. She needed to stop him before he retreated completely back into his safe little world, where he took nothing seriously and any real emotion was for suckers.

  "Swear to me." Gamora's eyes locked on to his. "Swear to me on your mother," she said, bringing Quill to the one place he'd be forced to keep his word. She pulled her hand away from his mouth as Quill's eyes told her that he finally understood. It took a long time for him to answer. Up until this pomt, he'd always been able to talk himself out of any situation, but right now he was at an absolute loss for words.

  "Okay." Gamora looked up at him. And he nodded. He got it. He finally got it. "Okay," he repeated. No jokes. One simple word.

  The silence expanded as Gamora looked up at him, tears falling. Quill reached across and wiped away her streams of tears with the back of his hand. She let him comfort her. She let herself be loved by someone. So loved that he would save her from the one thing she couldn't conquer on her own. She leaned into him and kissed him. Wordlessly thanking him for loving her enough to find the courage to kill her, if it came to that.

  As Quill and Gamora got lost in each other, a loud crunch rippled through the room. They looked across the room to fmd Drax, standing in the shadows, eatmg a bag of zarg-nuts.

  "Dude, how long have you been standing there?" Quill asked, replaying all that Gamora and he had talked about, not to mention their passionate kiss.

  "An hour," Drax answered.

  "An hour?" Quill echoed m disbelief.

  "Are you serious?" Gamora asked.

  "I've mastered the ability of standing so incredibly still that I've become invisible to the eye. Watch." Drax's voice was mysterious and serious as he pulled a zarg-nut from the bag and lifted it to his mouth. Fully visible. To everyone. Not invisible at all.