John and Cain were sitting in the kitchen, sipping cognac. The TV mumbled news in the background. Giant was rambling about something, but strategist was lost in thought, barely registering the noise.
[They've been in there fifty minutes. What could possibly take that long? I'd think Mary knocked Jane out and made a run for it, but the Sin Detector says they're still in the room.]
"Look at these bastards!" Cain jabbed a finger at the screen. "They stole our damn glory!"
John lazily turned his eyes to the TV. The anchorwoman was reporting that yesterday's fireburst was caused by the Fantastic Four—apparently, the Human Torch was just goofing around.
"Typical. Made-up story to avoid public panic," John muttered. "Turn it off. The girls are coming back."
The Sin Detector didn't lie. Jane led Mary out of the room. She looked a lot better—tears gone, hair brushed, and even changed out of her pajamas into a t-shirt and pants.
"I'm okay," Mary said as she sat at the table. "I know who you are and what's going on. Jane told me everything."
"Everything?" John narrowed his eyes. "Even that our days are numbered?"
"I showed her how to look into the soul," Jane said as she sat beside her. "Basic exercise in magic."
John studied Mary's face. She looked worried, but also like someone who had come to terms with her fate. She had the same eyes all terminal patients do. Just like everyone at this table.
[I underestimated Jane. She's got doctor's instincts—knows how to break the news when someone's dying.]
"How long do you have left?" John asked plainly.
Mary closed her eyes and folded her hands in her lap. She was listening to her soul—a beginner's skill in any magical training.
[Just like with the body, every soul has its own immunity. All I can do is hope this girl's resilient, that she's got enough time.]
"Twenty-seven or twenty-eight months. Maybe a little more, but not much," Mary slowly opened her eyes and flinched. "I don't want to die…"
Jane placed a hand on her shoulder.
"No one does," Thunderheart said firmly. "But we won't give up until we've tried everything. We're your support, Mary."
The schoolgirl stopped trembling and gave a tiny smile.
[I wonder if Jane got the inspirational speech skill along with her justice crusader package?]
"There's one option closer than you think," John smirked. "Mary, I want you to try restoring our souls with Phoenix fire."
"I'd love to, but..." girl looked away. "I don't know how."
"That's the catch," said Thunderheart. "Mary doesn't know how to control it. She only found out about her powers yesterday."
"What the hell?" Cain, who had been silent till now, frowned. "Girl picked up the Crystal two months ago, right?"
John nodded. That's exactly what the Sorcerer Supreme had said.
"And in two whole months she never toasted anyone?" Cain kept ranting. "Bullshit! I started smashing stuff seconds after grabbing the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak."
"Don't yell at girl," Jane gently pulled Mary into a one-armed hug. "Though I admit, it's odd. I started controlling weather the moment I picked up Mjolnir."
"I didn't even know there was a bird inside me," Lady Phoenix said softly. "Not until yesterday."
"I believe you," said John, earning surprised looks. "I went through the same thing. Carried Zarathos' Cross for about two months, and then suddenly burst into flames in a biker club. Guess hiding your true nature until the last second is just a thing with fire aspects of infinity."
"You—" Mary looked into John's eyes. "You'll teach me how to use the power?"
"Sure thing," Rider shrugged. "But I think Jane would make a better instructor. In case you didn't realize, she's the one who pulled you together yesterday."
[And today too, if we're being honest.]
"Yeah, little Jane can throw a punch," Cain chuckled. "She dented my helmet, and that thing ain't cheap."
"I'll take care of you," Jane said with all the seriousness in the world.
"Sorry, but no. I can feel it," Mary placed a hand over her chest, a dangerous glint lighting up her eyes. "It wants to be closer to him."
John quickly wrapped Cross of Zarathos in black fire and swung it like a pendulum in front of her face.
Phoenix recoiled from the strongest flame in the universe and fled back into the depths of Mary's soul.
It worked. John exhaled and dismissed the flame.
"Is that…?" Jane's eyes widened in horror. "Is that the one?"
"Yeah. Black fire—like the kind Mammon toasted you with," John rubbed his wrist, red from a fresh burn. "I memorized the incantation during our encounter and have been practicing ever since. Hellfire spells suit a demonologist."
[Just a couple seconds of using it, and my hand feels like I dipped it in boiling oil. Let's hope Phoenix doesn't push me too often.]
"Hey, dudes!" Cain called out. "Who the hell is Mammon?"
"One mean bastard, that's who," John grimaced. "With any luck, we'll never meet him."
"Well," Mary said cautiously, "are you gonna teach me?"
"Like I've got a choice," John sighed. "You're our key to survival."
[Too bad I couldn't pass her off to Jane. That would've set me free and kept our responsible honor student too busy to lecture me.]
Mary's stomach rumbled, and she blushed slightly.
"Girl hasn't eaten since yesterday," Jane shook her head. "We need to fix that."
"What'll it be, Red?" Cain headed to the fridge. "We got beer, vodka—"
He stopped under Jane's scorching glare.
"—but for minors, we've got a special offer," he continued with a smirk. "Tap water. I'll toss some chicken in the microwave."
"I don't eat meat," Mary crossed her arms. "Got anything vegetarian?"
"What's wrong with kids these days?" Juggernaut looked to the ceiling. "Junkies, hookers, gangsters… and vegetarians."
"Umm," Mary said once the giant disappeared into the basement for cheese, "is he always like that?"
"Always," Jane groaned.
"Does he mock you about being vegetarian too?" Mary asked, turning to John.
"What makes you think I'm a vegetarian?" Rider gave her a skeptical look.
"I thought you were one of us," Mary looked away awkwardly. "The Ghost Rider who took down the Roxxon plant became a symbol for all of us."
[I feel like a rockstar. Just got drunk and fell off the stage, and now teens are reading deep meaning into it…]
"So you're one of the 'green' ones," John concluded.
"Yeah! And proud of it!" schoolgirl puffed out her chest. "I can't just watch corporations destroy our planet! I've marched for forest preservation, and I refuse to wear animal skin!"
[Blah blah blah… Great, now we've got a teenage eco-activist on the team. At least it explains why the Phoenix picked her as its avatar.]
Soon Cain returned with a massive wheel of cheese and put together dinner for everyone. Mens demonstratively dug into meat. Good-girl Jane decided to support Mary and joined her in eating a salad of veggies and cheese.
"The sooner we start your training, the better," John pushed aside his plate of picked-clean bones. "First thing you need to learn is partial release. It's convenient and makes sure you've always got fire at hand."
"I'm ready," Mary nodded. "What do I do?"
"Take the M'Kraan Crystal in your hand."
"Take what?"
"That's the name of the artifact—the Phoenix's cage," John explained calmly. "No big deal you didn't know the name. I didn't learn Zarathos's name right away either."
"Tough luck, man," Juggernaut said, setting down an open can of beer. "I had a priest next to the Crimson Gem. Dude spilled everything after the first slap."
"Anyway," John grimaced at the unnecessary comment, "Mary, you need to take the same stone you mistook for a meteorite."
"Oh, that sparkly pink thing," Mary said, thinking. "But… I don't know where it is."
[Hmm. She didn't have Crystal with her. It must've stayed at her place in New York.]
"No problem," John set the Cross of Zarathos on the table. "Just think about it and it'll come to you."
The Cross shot into John's hand. Just in case, Cain and Jane demonstrated the same trick with their own artifacts.
Mary closed her eyes tightly and extended her hand. A minute passed, then another…
"This is taking too long," John tapped his fingers on the table nervously.
"No matter where Mjolnir is," said Jane, "it always returns to my hand in a few seconds."
"And my Gem's never this slow," Cain scratched his cheek.
"I'm trying!" Mary exclaimed, squeezing her eyes shut tighter. "I really am!"
"Something's wrong," John muttered, staring out the window. "We can wait for the Crystal to come to Mary on its own. Guys, what's the longest you've ever been separated from your artifact?"
They all agreed: no more than two hours.
"But we left New York over sixteen hours ago," John frowned. "That's way too long. The M'Kraan Crystal should've reached its wielder by now."
"Guys," Mary opened her eyes, "actually… I haven't seen the Crystal in two months. I found it at night, brought it home, and the next morning it was gone. I thought I dreamed it."
[Holy shit!]
In an instant, John was beside her, grabbing Mary's shoulders so abruptly she flinched.
"Right now, Mary!" his voice trembled. "Summon her. Flip the switch. Turn on the bird, goddamn it!"
Mary stared at him, terrified. She didn't realize John was even more scared than she was.
"I need Lady Phoenix!" he shouted. "Do it!"
"I can't!" she whimpered. "It just happens on its own!"
John let go of her and collapsed into a chair, drained.
Jane, like a caring mom, rushed to comfort girl before the tears could start.
"Man, what the hell got into you?" Cain frowned. "Jumping people outta nowhere is my move."
"It's over," John covered his face with his palm. "The healing plan's off."
"Hell no," Juggernaut stood up from the table. "What's wrong with the badass plan where the redhead heals our souls?"
"Have you really not figured it out yet?" Rider's voice was quiet, tired. "Mary sets things on fire by accident. The Phoenix is ready to break loose at any moment. She can't summon healing fire at will. Without the M'Kraan Crystal, she's nothing."
[Why is everything always so damn complicated?]
John fell off his chair when a bolt of lightning hit him.
"Don't listen to him. You're amazing," Jane hung Mjolnir on her belt and hugged Mary. "John gets moody, but once you shake it out of him, he comes up with smart ideas."
"Come on, boss," Cain grabbed John roughly and plopped him back into the chair. "What's the new gangster plan? Who we recruiting next?"
"There's no one else!" John snapped. "Or do you think Infinity Avatars grow on trees? That kind of power shakes galaxies. The fact four of us ended up on the same planet is already a one-in-a-million shot! The main plan's dead! The three of us with a useless kid will never take down Thor!"
Mary clung closer to Jane at his shouting.
Cain slammed his fist into the table—splinters flew everywhere.
"Dude! Cut the crap! Seriously, I'm done with this!" Juggernaut clenched his fist. "I know you already figured out how to get that Crystal back!"
[Tch. He pisses me off so much. Even more because he's right.]
"The M'Kraan Crystal didn't just roll under a couch," John took a few deep breaths. "It was stolen. And by a powerful sorcerer."
"How powerful?" Jane asked.
"On Mammon or Odin's level," Rider said firmly. "Only gods or devils can hold an artifact like that."
John and Jane locked eyes. They'd already fought a devil, felt that kind of power firsthand—and only made it out alive by pure luck.
"We beat a devil once," Thunderheart declared boldly. "We'll do it again!"
[Yeah. About what I expected from a self-sacrificing heroine who'd throw herself in front of a bullet for a stranger.]
"Time to kick some divine ass," Cain grinned. "Been too long since I had a fight where I didn't have to hold back."
"What do we do?" Mary asked, looking straight at John.
[Looks like she's accepted me as the leader. Hey, at least something's going right.]
"First, we need to find out who we're up against. That means dropping by Strange's place. I'm sure he's got a ritual that can pinpoint the M'Kraan Crystal's exact location," John smirked. "Cain, still wanna learn how to knock on the Sorcerer Supreme's front door properly?"
/////
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