Chapter 8: Chapter Eight:
The Quinjet roared to life as it lifted off from the Avengers' hangar, cutting through the night sky with a sleek precision that made Eleven's stomach churn. She sat in one of the seats along the interior wall, staring out the window as the city lights of New York disappeared below. Wanda sat beside her, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees, while Sam Wilson and Peter Parker stood near the cockpit, quietly discussing strategy.
Carol Danvers sat opposite Eleven, her arms crossed and her expression unreadable. Her mere presence seemed to radiate authority, and Eleven couldn't help but feel small in comparison. But there was no animosity in Carol's gaze—only a measured patience, as if she understood the weight that Eleven carried.
"This Rocket guy," Eleven asked hesitantly, breaking the silence, "can he really help?"
Carol nodded. "If anyone can, it's Rocket. He's been tracking dimensional anomalies since the Blip. Apparently, Kang's tech leaves a trace—kind of like footprints in the fabric of reality."
"And we're just going to follow his 'footprints'?" Eleven pressed, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.
"Footprints can lead to answers," Carol said simply, her voice steady. "And right now, answers are what we need."
The Quinjet lurched slightly as it hit a pocket of turbulence, and Eleven gripped the armrests tightly. She'd never been this high up before, and the sensation made her stomach twist in knots. Wanda noticed her discomfort and leaned in closer.
"Breathe," Wanda said softly. "It's just a machine. It won't hurt you."
"I'm not afraid of the machine," Eleven muttered, her eyes darting toward the cockpit where the horizon loomed in the distance. "I'm afraid of falling."
"You won't fall," Wanda assured her. "Not while we're here."
Eleven didn't reply, but the weight of Wanda's words settled over her like a thin blanket of comfort. For the first time since this chaos began, she didn't feel entirely alone.
Scene Break: Rocket's Base
The Quinjet touched down on a barren outpost at the edge of Earth's orbit, its landing platform creaking under the jet's weight. The base wasn't much to look at—just a collection of rusted metal domes and scattered debris—but it hummed with energy, and Eleven could sense something alive within the walls.
As the team stepped out, they were greeted by a voice that was both gruff and exasperated.
"Took you long enough," Rocket Raccoon muttered as he emerged from the shadows, a wrench slung over one shoulder and a data tablet clutched in his other paw. "I've been running my tail off tracking Kang's dimensional tears, and you show up now? Typical."
Carol smirked. "Nice to see you too, Rocket."
Rocket squinted up at her, his bushy tail twitching. "Yeah, yeah, save the pleasantries. You're here because you're in over your heads. And because I'm the only one who knows how to read this junk."
He waved the data tablet for emphasis, its screen glowing with a chaotic web of lines and numbers that made Eleven's head spin.
"What are we looking at?" Sam asked, stepping forward.
"This," Rocket said, tapping the screen, "is the trail Kang left behind. Every time he rips open a dimensional gate, it leaves a signature—like a scar in the timeline. I've been mapping them, and let me tell you, the guy's been busy."
He swiped across the screen, revealing a series of bright, pulsing points scattered across a map of the multiverse.
"He's targeting specific locations," Rocket continued. "Places where the boundaries between dimensions are weakest. And guess what? One of them is right here."
"Earth," Carol said, her voice grim. "Of course."
"But why?" Wanda asked. "Why focus on Earth when he has the whole multiverse at his disposal?"
Rocket shrugged. "Beats me. But if I had to guess, it's because of her."
All eyes turned to Eleven, who froze under their scrutiny.
"Me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Rocket nodded. "You're like a magnet for his tech. Whatever connection you have to this 'Upside Down' place, it's like a beacon. He's using it to stabilize his dimensional gates. Without you, his whole operation falls apart."
Eleven's stomach churned. She hadn't asked for this. She hadn't asked for any of it.
"So, what do we do?" Sam asked, his tone steady.
"We track him down," Rocket said. "I've pinpointed the source of the most recent gate—it's on the edge of the Negative Zone. If we can get there and disrupt the anchor, we might be able to cut Kang off from this dimension entirely."
"And if we can't?" Peter asked, his voice uncertain.
Rocket grinned, baring sharp teeth. "Then we blow it up and hope for the best."
Scene Break: Negative Zone Rift
The journey to the rift was tense, every second a reminder of the stakes. The team worked in silence, their focus unbroken as Rocket's ship cut through the dimensional barrier separating Earth from the Negative Zone.
The landscape that greeted them was unlike anything Eleven had ever seen. The sky was a swirling mass of orange and black, shot through with jagged streaks of lightning. The ground below was a twisted expanse of crystalline structures, their sharp edges glinting like broken glass.
"This is it," Rocket said, his voice tight as he brought the ship to a halt. "The rift's just up ahead. Get ready."
The team disembarked, their footsteps crunching against the crystalline surface. Eleven felt the weight of the air around her, heavy and oppressive, as though the Zone itself was alive and watching.
"Stay close," Wanda said, her crimson energy flickering around her hands as they moved forward. "This place doesn't play by normal rules."
As they approached the rift, Eleven's senses began to buzz. The air crackled with energy, and she could feel the pull of the Upside Down through the tear. It was faint but unmistakable—a whisper in the back of her mind, calling her home.
"There it is," Rocket said, pointing to the rift. It was a jagged tear in the fabric of reality, its edges glowing with an unnatural light. Tendrils of shadow seeped from its core, twisting and writhing like living things.
"Let's close this thing and get out of here," Sam said, his shield already at the ready.
But before they could act, the rift pulsed violently, and a figure stepped through.
Kang.
He was taller than Eleven remembered, his green and blue armor gleaming with an otherworldly light. His expression was calm, almost amused, as he regarded the team before him.
"You're persistent," Kang said, his voice smooth and unbothered. "I'll give you that."
"Persistent enough to stop you," Carol said, stepping forward, her fists glowing with energy.
Kang tilted his head, his gaze shifting to Eleven. "And there she is. The bridge. The key to everything."
Eleven's blood ran cold as Kang's presence pressed against her mind, his voice slithering through her thoughts.
"You can't stop this," he said, his tone almost gentle. "You were made for this."
"No," Eleven said, her voice trembling but firm. "I'm not yours."
Kang's lips curled into a faint smile. "Then prove it."
And with a wave of his hand, the Negative Zone erupted into chaos.