Chapter 55: The Calm After the Storm and the Approaching Hurricane
The temporary silence that had settled over the summit of Fisk Tower after the void rift had closed had given way to the tense wait between S.H.I.E.L.D. Commander Maria Hill and Kael. Despite his exhausted body, Kael was shaken by the new and terrifying warning that had flowed into his mind from the Chitauri core: The Lords of the Void would not accept this defeat, they would return with a much larger and more organized attack.
"Commander," Kael said, his voice tired but sharp. "This... this is not over. What we saw earlier was merely a prelude. A much greater storm is coming."
Hill paused for a moment at Kael's new and even more fantastical claim. The events he had just witnessed—the Void rift, the possessed Wesley, Kael's unimaginable powers—were beyond the imagination of any normal human being. But the unwavering seriousness in Kael's eyes, and the faint, eerie energy still emanating from the Chitauri core, prevented him from completely ignoring the words. "What do you mean, Echo?" Hill asked, his voice tired but curious.
Kael briefly explained the vision the Chitauri core had shown him: an intergalactic dark armada, a massive invasion force targeting Earth, and a clear message that the Lords of the Void would leave nothing to chance this time.
This new information made things even more complicated for Commander Hill. On one hand, there was a wanted fugitive, a man in possession of dangerous alien technology; on the other, there was perhaps the only person who could save the planet. Standard S.H.I.E.L.D. protocols dictated that he immediately take Kael into custody and seize the Chitauri core. But his instincts, and the unusual events he had just witnessed, told him that this was not a standard operation.
"Do you expect me to believe you?" Hill asked, but his voice was not as skeptical as before. "This is all... incomprehensible."
"Whether you believe it or not is up to you, Commander," Kael said. "But if I'm wrong, at most you've caught another fugitive. But if I'm right and you do nothing, we have a lot more to lose."
At that moment, one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. science staff approached Commander Hill with a scanner in hand. "Commander," he said excitedly. "That device on top of Fisk Tower... It has not been completely destroyed. It has been depleted, but it is still emitting a faint Void signature. And, even stranger, it still seems to have a tenuous connection to that subterranean energy point Kael mentioned earlier. It's like... a dormant but still active parasite."
This information added unexpected weight to Kael's account. Commander Hill looked at Kael for a moment, then at the science officer. It was a difficult moment for him to make a decision.
"Well, Echo," Hill finally said, taking a deep breath. "It seems we are at least in agreement on our next move. That parasitic device must be completely neutralized, and that echo point underground must be secured." Hill took a step toward Kael. "I don't fully trust you. But right now, you may be our best bet. I will grant you and Aslan a temporary 'consultant' status. You will be under our watch, but you will help us purge that device and any other possible traces of the Void on this planet. In exchange, we can reconsider some of your past 'misunderstandings.'"
This was an unexpected development for Kael. It wasn't complete freedom, but it did at least provide some leeway. And most importantly, it offered the opportunity to use S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources to fight the Lords of the Void. "Agreed, Commander," Kael said.
Aslan was still wary of this new situation, but he respected Kael's decision. Wilson Fisk, on the other hand, had given Kael one last calculating look as he was being led away by S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers. It was a look that said, "This isn't over yet."
As Kael and Aslan left Fisk Tower with Commander Hill and his team, Kael knew that this was only a temporary truce. S.H.I.E.L.D. would never fully trust him. But right now, what mattered was preparing for the great storm that was approaching. The Chitauri core warmed slightly in his palm, as if it whispered that it would guide him on this new and difficult path.
The echo points on Earth, the new targets of the Lords of the Void, and the enormous responsibility on Kael's shoulders as the Echo Carrier... The war would now continue on a much different scale. And Kael would have to both find allies in this war and learn to fully control the Echo Storm within himself.