Max fiddled with the communicator in his hand. The device, shaped like a three-pronged beetle made of polished black metal, hummed and blinked with intermittent violet lights. He had been trying to contact Odin for hours, and the lack of an answer from the other side was wearing his patience thin.
Then, suddenly it beeped. A sharp burst of static cracked through the speaker.
"Grænlaðr! Grænlaðr! Maaaax!" Odin's voice roared through, loud and overly enthusiastic.
Max flinched. "Finally," he muttered. He raised the device and replied, "Yes, yes, I can hear you. Don't yell!"
"Aha! Grænlaðr! At last!" Odin declared triumphantly.
Max rolled his eyes. "I've been trying to contact you for hours."
"You see, my friend," Odin said with no trace of apology, "I forgot I had this thing with me."
Before Max could retort, another voice broke through.
"Green Lantern, can you update us on your progress?" It was Agamotto.
"Hello, Agamotto," Max said smoothly. "Yes, I have indeed taken care of the emissary."
"You what?" Odin exclaimed before Max could even finish.
"Yes," Max repeated smugly. "Handled it in just a few hours after I set out."
Agamotto's voice returned. "And the other Deviants? Did you dispatch them as well?"
"No," Max replied flatly. "Why would I?"
"Those Eternals said they were dangerous," Odin said.
"I wasn't even the one who killed the emissary; it was the same Deviants who killed him."
"Oh," Agamotto reacted.
"It looked like they'd rejected Dormammu's influence. I saw no need to slaughter them just because the Eternals lump them all together."
There was a moment of silence.
"You did well, Lantern," Agamotto said at last. "That was wise."
"Meh," Odin muttered. "You still didn't technically kill the emissary."
"Not a competition, Borson," Max chuckled.
"Very well… on our end," Agamotto continued. "We got one here in the frozen north. Killed it and—"
The transmission crackled. Max leaned forward. "And what? Agamotto? Odin?"
Only static answered him. Then a sound broke through: a distant, thunderous trumpet an elephant's call.
"Was that... an elephant?" Max asked aloud, confused.
Then another sound. A scream tore through the communicator inhuman, demonic and terrifying.
"What the fuck…," Max muttered, eyes wide as the demonic scream echoed again through the communicator.
"By the Norns, seiðmaðr what is that thing?" Odin's voice came next, tight and alert.
Max's grip tightened around the device. "Odin, what's going on?"
"Grænlaðr," Odin said, his tone unusually grave, "we found the other emissaries."
"And?" Max asked quickly.
"They're being killed," Odin replied. "A demon it has a flaming skull and rides a giant beast."
Max's eyes widened. No way… he can't mean—
Then Agamotto's voice cut in, less composed than usual. "This… this reeks of Mephisto. That creature whatever it is must be one of his. A demon."
Another scream tore through the speaker, even louder now.
"Grænlaðr," Odin growled, "I'm going to kill that thing. We'll speak afterward."
"Wait wait, don't—" Max started, but the connection cut out.
"Shit!" he cursed, fumbling with the communicator. He called again. And again. Nothing.
"Fucking Ghost Rider," he hissed under his breath. That's got to be who that was. His heart hammered as he stood abruptly.
He looked up, the dim torchlight casting long shadows on the sandstone walls. A low, frustrated breath escaped him.
He wanted to be there he had a million questions but then he paused as a thought crossed his mind. Odin had said the Ghost Rider was riding a large beast, and Max was sure he'd heard an elephant. They're in the Arctic. That can't be an elephant.
Realization hit. "That was a mammoth."
He groaned, dragging his hands down his face. "Goddamn it."
I want to see a Mammoth!!
Jade spoke again. "Max, our mission. Khenmet's life may be in danger, and the Fantastic Four are waiting. We must not delay."
Max sighed, shoulders sagging. "Yeah… yeah, you're right."
He walked out of the room and into the alleyway, the dying sun casting golden light against the clay walls. The sounds of the city surrounded him as he stepped onto a busy street of Thebes.
Max walked with measured steps toward the great pyramid, blending into the growing throng of citizens moving through the city. His face was veiled in coarse cloth, a hood draped over his head, and his loose, sand-hued robe matched those of the local traders and travelers—just another wandering face among many.
Near the edge of the square he slowed beside two men standing in the shadow of a sandstone building, both watching the crowd stream toward the colossal, gold-lined structure at the city's heart.
"Hello, friends," Max said smoothly, giving a respectful nod.
"Hello," the younger of the two replied politely. The older man only offered a curt nod, arms folded.
"I'm a trader from the north," Max said with casual confidence. "Seems there's some sort of occasion today. Everyone's heading toward the Pharaoh's pyramid."
"The Kheru-Sekhem have finally captured the damned priestess," the younger man barely in his twenties said.
"Enough, Abil," the older man muttered sternly, his expression souring.
"Why not?" Abil snapped back. "Is she not a traitor to the great Pharaoh a follower of the cursed god Khonshu?"
The older man's brow furrowed. "I remember a time," he said in a lower voice, "when we revered the gods all the gods."
Abil scoffed and pointed to the pyramid, glowing faintly in the last light of the setting sun. "There lives the true god, Uncle."
Max cleared his throat. "Forgive the interruption," he said. "But… what will happen to the priestess?"
"She is to be executed," Abil answered, almost proudly.
Max's jaw tightened beneath his veil.
"The Pharaoh will do it after the sun sets," Abil added, as though quoting an official decree, "so that the false gods will witness it."
Max nodded slowly. "Thank you." He turned away, walking in the opposite direction as calmly as he could.
Once out of sight, he moved faster, slipping into a narrow alley and scaling the rear wall of a mud-brick building with ease. From the rooftop he eyed the looming city walls.
Alright lets see if this cloaking thing works.
A soft shimmer of green washed over him, bending the light just enough and whoosh he vanished.
Just before taking flight, he created a small drone construct and sent it buzzing toward the pyramid.
He soared silently over Thebes' rooftops and outer walls, heading east toward the Nile. The cloak wouldn't last long; it was still a work in progress. But it carried him past the walls unseen, and for now, that was enough.
The Fantastic Four waited beyond the city, hidden among the reeds.
======
Max descended through the twilight sky in a silent arc, his boots kicking up a whisper of sand as he touched down near the cluster of figures waiting just outside the city walls. The reeds by the Nile rustled softly behind them, and the pyramid's golden capstone still gleamed faintly in the far distance.
The Fantastic Four turned at once.
"They're going to execute her," Max said without preamble. "After sunset."
Sue gasped. "No…"
Johnny clenched his fists, flames flaring faintly along his knuckles. "Then we go in now, right? We bust her out."
Ben cracked his rocky knuckles. "'Bout time we got to break something preferably that fake pharaoh's face."
Reed didn't speak immediately. His brows furrowed as his eyes flicked between the distant city and the horizon, where the sun dipped lower by the second.
Johnny turned to him. "So? What's the plan, Reed?"
Reed looked at Max. "We follow the Lantern's lead. I'm sure he has a plan."
Max, arms crossed, nodded once. "In fact, I do."
A flicker of green energy sparked in his hand as he lifted his arm, conjuring a floating construct screen in midair. The surface shimmered before stabilizing, displaying footage being broadcast live from the drone he had released. The Four gathered around, watching.
The image showed the vast plaza in front of the Great Pyramid already brimming with movement. Soldiers of Rama-Tut, cloaked in gold, were assembling a ceremonial platform near the pyramid's entrance. To the right, half in shadow, loomed the Sphinx.
"They're setting up for the execution," Max said grimly.
With a wave of his hand, the screen shifted. From the drone footage he formed a 3D green overlay of the city walls, streets, the pyramid, the Sphinx all rising in luminous detail around them like a glowing model. He paused, then highlighted several key areas with bright pulses.
"Here's the plan," Max said. "We wait until just before the execution begins and get into positions."
He pointed to two glowing figures on the overlay. "Reed, you'll position yourself here, close to the Sphinx. You'll need access to the structure the moment the chaos starts. Sue, you'll be here within range of the execution platform. Use your invisibility. Once it begins, slip in and get Khenmet out."
Reed and Sue nodded.
Max continued. "Johnny, Ben you're with me. We come in loud and fast. Distraction is our job: pull every guard, every one of those Kheru-Sekhem every eye off that platform, even the Pharaoh if he shows up."
Tiny constructs on the model replayed the scenario: three figures engaging Rama-Tut's forces while a translucent shape slipped toward the captive Khenmet.
"When Sue rescues Khenmet, I'll fly her out with a construct and get her back to the hideout," Max said. "At the same time, Reed needs to head for the Sphinx. I'll clear a path, but if trouble finds you—"
"I'll manage," Reed replied with a faint smile. "I'll just need a few minutes to set everything up."
Ben slammed a rocky fist into his palm. "Buy Reed some time? No problem. I can go a few rounds with those golden tin cans."
Johnny grinned. "I'm gonna light it up."
"Johnny, be careful," Sue warned. "Thousands of innocent people live in that city."
"I'll be careful," he muttered, narrowing his eyes at her.
Max glanced around the team. "Once Reed finishes, we regroup at the Sphinx. Reed gets you home; I cover the exit."
A brief silence followed. Then Reed nodded. "Good plan simple and efficient."
Sue looked toward the horizon. "Sun's almost down."
Max dismissed the construct with a flick of his hand and turned towards the city.
"Then let's go."
.
.