-Bruce Banner POV-

The private jet touched down under the cover of darkness, its engines whining to a halt as Natasha and I disembarked quietly. The poorly guarded airstrip loomed before us, a testament to lax security that seemed almost impossible in a post-9/11 world. It had to be a private facility.

I approached the fence with trepidation, my heart racing as I contemplated the climb. Heights had always been a source of anxiety for me, even before the... incident. I watched with a mixture of admiration and embarrassment as Natasha effortlessly scaled the barrier, her lithe form clearing it in seconds.

Gritting my teeth, I began my ungainly ascent. My muscles strained, unused to this kind of physical exertion. By the time I reached the top, I was panting heavily, my palms slick with sweat. The jump down was even worse, leaving me sprawled on the ground, trying to catch my breath.

We crept along the bushes, the scratching of branches against my clothes setting my nerves on edge. As we reached a highway, the roar of passing vehicles filled the air. I scanned our surroundings, a creeping sense of dread settling in my stomach as realization dawned.

The Other Guy stirred within me, his presence a constant, angry buzz at the back of my mind. He sensed my distress, feeding off it, growing stronger with each passing second.

I could feel him, dancing around the edges of my consciousness, begging to be let out.

Natasha must have noticed the change in my demeanor. She took a cautious step back, her voice tinged with panic. "Woah, what happened to you?"

I gritted my teeth, fighting to maintain control. My words came out as a strangled yell, "WHY THE FUCK ARE WE BACK IN AMERICA?"

The road signs, the vehicles, it all pointed to one inescapable truth. We were back in the lion's den.

Natasha held up her hands in surrender, her voice calm despite the fear I could see in her eyes."Banner, calm down. I didn't lie to you. We just have to catch another flight that's about to go over the island and skydive off of it."

Her words did nothing to soothe my growing anger. If anything, they stoked the flames of my rage. With a roar of frustration, I slammed my fist into the guardrail, the metal bending under the force of the impact.

"Why is the ferry in America, the place with the most FUCKING SURVEILLANCE?" I snarled, feeling the Other Guy pushing harder against the barriers of my control.

Natasha tried to approach, but a warning growl from deep within my chest stopped her in her tracks. Yes, it was the Hulk... not me... it was Hulk... I wasn't a monster.

She leaned back, her explanation coming out in a rush. "All air traffic was on their radar. They would have known no matter where you went. They didn't bother checking the private jet because it was supposed to be empty and was already headed here."

I forced myself to take deep breaths, trying to process her words. It made sense, in a twisted sort of way. It was still infuriating, but it made sense.

As the red haze of anger began to recede, shame washed over me. "I'm sorry about scaring you," I mumbled, unable to meet her eyes. "But I need to know the plan. It concerns me more than it does you."

She nodded, accepting my apology. "It's okay. I should have given you a warning."

I studied her for a moment, noting how she seemed to brush off my outburst as if it were nothing. It was... refreshing, in a way. But I couldn't let her keep making plans for me.

"Okay, I understand you have a solid plan," I began, choosing my words carefully. "But I can't trust you with this anymore. I'll figure something out myself and send you a message once I escape."

Her denial was immediate. "No, it's too dangerous. I'm sorry if you felt like you couldn't trust me. I was still acting like an agent on a mission, and I apologize for that. But I can't let you do this alone."

I sighed, rubbing my face to stave off the growing headache. "How about this: you can come along, but we're doing this my way." I paused, seeing her about to agree, before dropping the bombshell. "And I'm not going to tell you my plan."

Her disagreement was swift and vehement. "Not a chance. What if we get caught? You might not understand, but I'm putting my job on the line for you."

I pointed at her, emphasizing my words. "Exactly my point. Why would you do it? Why would you risk your job for me, a complete stranger two days ago? I was a mission for you, but now I'm not, and I don't understand why."

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She fell silent, her internal struggle visible on her face. I decided to force the issue. "You can either tell me why you want to help me, go back home, or follow me without questioning what I do."

I held out my hand, an offer and a challenge. For a few tense seconds, she hesitated. Then, slowly, she reached out and took my hand. I couldn't help but smile, my mind already racing with plans to get us out of this godforsaken country.

As we set off into the night, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was the beginning of something much bigger than either of us could imagine. The road ahead was fraught with danger, but for the first time in a long while, I didn't feel alone. Whether that was a good thing or not remained to be seen.

-Spiderman POV-

The city sprawled out beneath me, a tapestry of lights and shadows. I turned to Black Cat, my words tinged with a hint of sarcasm. "Sorry about that last one. You'll probably need to learn all the bullet science you can to survive your schooling."

As I spoke, a familiar orange glow caught my eye. I spun around to find the Ancient One stepping out of a shimmering portal, her expression as enigmatic as ever.

"Hey, One," I called out, forcing a smile onto my face as I approached her. "I've got that Gem you were asking about. Here, take it and keep it safe."

She glanced at the Gem, her eyes narrowing slightly before she turned away. "It is fake," she stated, her voice calm but tinged with disappointment.

I felt a surge of anger and frustration. Whirling back to Black Cat, I yelled, "It's not the time for your games, Cat! Give me the real gem One said it was important!"

She looked genuinely offended, her voice rising to match mine. "That is the real gem! I didn't do anyth-"

I cut her off, my patience wearing thin. "Cut the bullshit, Cat. What do you want for the gem?"

The hurt in her eyes was palpable, but I was in no mood for her emotional games. I was about to threaten her with her secret when the Ancient One's voice stopped me cold.

"It isn't her fault," she said, her gaze fixed on the horizon. Her hands moved in intricate patterns, orange sigils blooming in the air around her.

"How is it not her fault?" I demanded, confusion and frustration warring within me.

The Ancient One turned back to me, her eyes filled with a sadness that sent a chill down my spine." Whoever's fault it may be, we are too late. The gem is already in the hands of those who seek it."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with implication. I felt a sense of dread settling in the pit of my stomach. We had failed, and the consequences of that failure were yet to be seen. As I looked out over the city, I couldn't shake the feeling that darker days were coming, and we were woefully unprepared for what lay ahead.

-Billie POV-

The cold, hard cash exchanged hands, an exorbitant sum for a small, unassuming gem. As they completed the transaction, curiosity got the better of me.

"Why did you buy it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper in the oppressive atmosphere.

She turned to me, a smile playing on her lips that didn't reach her eyes. "To cleanse your soul, of course."

I couldn't help but scoff, the absurdity of it all momentarily overriding my fear. "What? Only those of pure heart can let the lord into their hearts or some bullshit like that?"

The slap came fast and hard, leaving my cheek stinging. But even as I rubbed the sore spot, I couldn't bring myself to regret my words. It was worth it, a small act of defiance in the face of their madness.

"Your soul rejects the lord's presence," she hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "Clinging to your mortal form like a child to his mother. We shall vacate your body and let the gem take its place."

Panic seized me as my 'father' grabbed my arm, dragging me back inside the ominously named Pantheon of Darkness. The shadows seemed to writhe and dance around us, and I could feel the darkness inside me stirring, its voice a gleeful whisper in my mind.

"Seems like these followers are useful after all," it crowed. "I will be so, so angry at myself for consuming them. Your body will be mine anyway, child. Why not let me take it? I might even let you have a few moments every few eons to feel what becomes of your world."

I fought back the tears threatening to spill, my voice shaky but defiant. "You can go fuck yourself, darkness or whatever the fuck you want to call yourself."

The darkness laughed, a horrible, screeching sound that set my teeth on edge. "That was what people called me when I didn't know I existed," it said between fits of laughter. "But one day I knew I did, and I named myself... The Noctarion."

Fear crept into my voice as I asked, "What do you mean by 'before you existed'?"

Noctarion's smug tone grated on my nerves as it answered, "I existed for eons before I knew I had. One day something woke me up, and I realized I existed."

I blinked, processing this information. "Doesn't that mean someone else made you?"

Suddenly, the darkness within me exploded with rage. My heart began to race, threatening to burst from my chest. I screamed, collapsing to the floor as Noctarion's fury washed over me.

"NO ONE MADE ME, CHILD!" it roared. "I AM ETERNAL, I AM ALWAYS, I AM EVERYTHING, AND NOTHING CAN MAKE EVERYTHING. EXCEPT ME!"

Through the pain, I managed a grin. "Then how come you need that gem to control me?"

As suddenly as it had started, the pain stopped. I could hear clearly again as 'father' yanked me to my feet, his angry whisper hot against my ear. "We don't have time to deal with your nonsense. Come quickly."

He dragged me towards the center of the room, where a single candle cast eerie shadows on the walls. As I was placed in front of it, I couldn't resist one more jab at Noctarion.

"Why did you stop the pain?"

I could feel its annoyance as it replied, "I realized your bait on my ego needing the gem to bring you to heel. I would have given in if I didn't care about petty things like ego."

I bit my lower lip, unable to resist gloating. "So, if you're cornered, you'll be the bitch of whoever cornered you for a chance to live. You're pathetic."

A sharp pang of pain shot through my body, Noctarion's only reply. I smirked, realizing the true nature of this supposedly all-powerful being: just a bitch with too much power.

But my small victory did little to ease the fear and despair that threatened to overwhelm me. As tears welled in my eyes, I thought of Peter. I wished he was strong enough to save me, but I knew these kinds of things weren't something he could simply punch his way through. Darkness isn't tangible; it's just... there.

As the ritual began, the candle's flame casting twisted shadows on the walls, I closed my eyes and silently prayed. Not to any god or higher power, but to whatever twist of fate had brought me here. I prayed for strength, for a way out, for anything that might save me from the darkness that threatened to consume me entirely.