Chapter 3: The Soldier and The Spy
The fight on the rooftops was one thing, but the ground level was a whole different kind of chaos. A Chitauri leviathan, its tail a destructive force of nature, slammed into the side of the building Adam was on. The entire structure groaned, the sound of rebar and concrete twisting and snapping. Adam didn't need a system message to tell him to run. He just knew.
He clambered back down the fire escape, his heart in his throat. He hit the ground running, scrambling to get away from the falling debris. He took cover in a doorway, a small, dark space that offered a momentary respite from the insanity. He peeked out, and his breath hitched in his throat.
There he was. The guy on the box. The one with the shield, the one with the suit that was a little too blue for a modern superhero, but a perfect fit for a man out of time. Captain America. He was leading a group of terrified civilians, his shield deflecting blasts with impossible precision.
"There's the First Avenger. The human popsicle. The guy who's so wholesome, he probably thinks the f-word stands for 'fabulous.' And he's just... perfect. He's not just a soldier; he's a leader. He's a beacon of hope in the middle of a disaster. And I'm just… sitting here. Hiding. It feels a little wrong, you know? Like I should be out there, doing something. Anything."
He felt a pang of guilt, a sharp stab of conscience. He was a meta-knowledge-wielding, pop-culture-obsessed nerd, but he was still a human being, and his human instincts were screaming at him to help.
[Note: Your mission is to survive. Your contribution to this world will be in the future, with the team you build. Do not engage.]
The system's voice was a cold splash of reality. It was a mission statement, not a suggestion. His guilt was a luxury he couldn't afford. He watched as Steve Rogers, with a defiant cry, threw his shield, its iconic shape spinning through the air, taking out a Chitauri soldier before returning to his hand.
"Is there anything that thing can't do? Probably not. It's a shield, but also a frisbee of justice. I wonder if he ever just uses it to make toast. 'Captain America's Toaster Shield.' I'd buy that."
Another system message.
[Gu Acquired from main character Steve Rogers: Leadership Gu (A Rank). Ability: Inspires loyalty and tactical brilliance. Note: This Gu is for team members and cannot be used by the host.]
The icon that appeared was a stylized star, glowing a bright red, nestled next to his other "for team members only" Gu. He barely had time to process it when he saw her. Black Widow. She was a whirlwind of motion, her movements fluid and deadly. She was a ballet of brutality, taking down a group of Chitauri soldiers with a series of quick, precise strikes. She was a true force of nature, a silent, deadly predator in a world of loud, flashy gods.
[Gu Acquired from main character Natasha Romanoff: Shapeshifting Gu (B Rank). Ability: Mimics appearance, voice, and mannerisms. Note: This Gu is for team members and cannot be used by the host.]
A new icon, a stylized black widow spider, appeared. This was getting ridiculous. He was a one-man Pokémon League, and all his Pokémon were in the PC, waiting for a team that didn't even exist yet. He felt a weird mix of power and powerlessness. He was holding all the keys to the kingdom, but he couldn't open any of the doors. He just had to wait.