Tomorrow's Solutions
Scott started running down the corridor
“Wish I could trade telekinesis for super speed right about now.” He said to himself.
Suddenly, Scott was enveloped in a blue glow.
“Right on cue…”
Within seconds, he found himself somewhere else, and where ever Scott was, the place was pitch dark.
“Hello?” Scott called out. He continued running… right into a wall, knocking him down.
“Well...” He said getting back on his feet “This is just what I needed… Maybe I could blast a hole in it.”
He pulled out his gun and fired. The bullet bounded around the room a few times before Scott was able to stop it.
He heard a sound behind him, a section of the wall dissolving in a near perfect half circle. Through the opening a figure passes. A man in what looked to be a clear Plexiglas lounge chair that just floated along in mid-air, coming close, Scott realized he was both very old looking and very familiar looking.
“Hello there, Agent Riley.” The man said as he came to a stop in front of Scott. “My name is Howard Stark; and I’ve had my eye on you for some time”
“You’re the Howard Stark who built those machines?” Scott asked.
“Yes.” The man in the floating chair said. “My TransDimensional Teleportation and Communication Units. I think you call them ‘Stark Devices? Catchy if I do say so myself.”
Scott nodded
“I originally was searching for my world’s Steve Rogers, the Super-American.” He continued “I was under the impression he’d come in contact with the Tesseract and it sent him to another dimension. I didn’t realize he was stuck in the arctic like on several other earths such as yours. Quite embarrassing, actually.”
“So…?” Scott asked, making the “pick put the pace” motion with his hands at the same time.
“One thing I like about you, kid, you’re the ‘get to the point’ type.” Stark said. “I’m 107 years old. In those years, I’ve made a lot of mistakes. Over 5000 of them to be precise…
“There’s FIVE THOUSAND of those damn things!?!” Scott said.
“And it feels like every day someone finds one and uses it to cause trouble. Like what you’ve been dealing with the past few days. I need someone’s help to stop this, to find them and ether contain them or destroy them if necessary. And I would like that someone to be you, Agent Riley.”
“Why? What’s so special about me?”
“I think you already know.” The old man smirked.
“I can’t just run off and be some interdimensional repo agent. I’ve got my own problems right now.”
“Yes. Your friends, more specificity your new girlfriend Daisy…” Stark said. He tapped on his chair and a holographic screen appeared in front of them. “I’m sorry to say there’s not much you can do right now for her.”
The image showed Daisy, strapped into a machine not that much different from the memory machine SHIELD confiscated from Centipede. The local counterpart of her mother, or what was left of her, was standing off to one side. She held out her hand and the particulate parasites few out and entered her daughter.
“I’m afraid she’s too far gone, son.” Stark told him.
“No.” Scott said shaking his head as he watched the image of Daisy standing up and waiting for her orders. “No. You don’t know her like I do. She’s a fighter. She’s strong.”
“I know enough about the Hive entity that she shouldn’t be under its control. I’ve had a few get their paws on my TTCUs. Fortunately it’s so far been unable to survive interdimensional travel.”
“Before we go any further, I think I’m owed a SERIOUS explanation of the past few days. You tell me the truth, then you help me get them back… get her back… and I’ll be your little errand boy.”
“Well, I was going to tell you anyway." Stark said with a wink "Follow me….”
TO BE CONTIUNED
IN
AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.: OPERATION EXILES
Volume 4
“Children of The Stars”