1602 #8

1602:

On board the Virginia Maid, sailing to Roanoke. Rojhaz speaks:

His name… he was born… will be born… maybe he won’t be born… in the year 1920. Over three hundred yes from now. His name was Steven Rogers. Is… Steve Rogers. He apologizes. So much of this is like a dream.

Flashback:

There’s a war coming, he describes. They called it World War Two. It started when he was about twenty. He was given a… serum… a physic. Stuff to make him big and strong and fast. And it did. He was a fighting machine and a good one, and more than that. He saved lives. He couldn’t save everyone. Then, end of the war. He lost a couple of decades. After they thawed him out. He was a hero. He remembers some of it. A lot of it is mixed up. He fought for America, his country. He protected America. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Democracy. Not something they have seen much of yet, but it’s worth fighting for. That’s what he does. Will do… Did…

He didn’t age. He’d tell people that it was enjoying his work that kept him young, but he guesses it was the serum. Decades passed and he just kept going and going. The dark times came slowly, but they came. The others heroes aged and died, or they left for… other places. Most of the rest were hunted down and killed.

And eventually he had to face facts. That America wasn’t his America any longer. So he joined the underground. The fight to restore his country that he had sworn to protect. Captain America fighting the president–for-life. It was the right thing to do, but the odds were against him. He was betrayed. They said they were going to get rid of him. They didn’t even want his ashes to be left behind as any kind of memorial to inspire others. He remembers the equipment he was strapped down to. Before they turned it on they shot him. In the head, not the chest. It felt like a hammer. He remembers that. And then he just remembers the pain.

Steve Rogers woke up in the American wilderness. Things got kind of foggy for a long time. He wasn’t certain where he was or who he was. He couldn’t understand the world. Or the Native people. He told them his name. They thought he was from another tribe… in a way they were right. They let him stay. They fed him. Nothing mattered and then the white people came across the great water and he found them starving and he fed them. And then there was Virginia. She was a baby then. But he knew what she was. What she represented. What she meant. His America. He knew he had to protect her. To guard her. To fight for her, if he had to. He wasn’t going to let her die.

Present:

He takes Virginia by the shoulder. He failed before. He wasn’t going to fail again.

The Eagle’s Shadow has reached America. Vine-Land his worshippers called it when they came to colonize, Thor recalls. He saw them safely here. Winds were with them, the waves watched over them. Now he leaves them.

Reed protests that there is so much he could tell tem about himself. So much he hasn’t explained. And they may need his help, Susan adds. He asks them to cover their eyes. Lightning flares around him and he has returned to the shape of the old man Donal, his hammer again a staff.

Holding the staff, Donal explains that pilgrims brought the staff to Jerusalem from the Northlands when the days of the old gods were done. 200 years later, Hugh de Payns discovered it beneath the temple. They were charged to keep it safe, and a mighty secret. For if there were other gods… if gods walked among them like men… The Church teaches that there are but saints and demons… if there was a Thor… It could bring down the Church, Reed finishes his sentence. Is that what he’s saying?

He summoned him, Donal recalls. He saw through his eyes. He thought his thoughts… They were two knights riding one horse. He has summoned the winds and ridden the storm. And he gloried in it. Jesu forgive him. He is damned!

In the colony Roanoke, Nicolas Fury brings the colony’s leader Ananias Dare up to date. He tells him his ship is filled with monsters? Ananias asks. Aye, Fury concedes. But some of the most monstrous on the outside are on the inside no more monstrous than the best of them. And perhaps the reverse is also true.

He has heard nothing but good of Fury, Ananias concedes. Is he asking for their help? After fifteen years on this continent, they still have little to offer, but they have provisions and tobacco. They shall welcome them as brother colonists if they wish to stay.

Fury warns him that then they will be colluding with the enemies of England and James will, one day, put Roanoke to the torch and have all their heads. It might look better if they consider this colony captured by monsters, traitors and Witchbreed rogues. Better still, he hereby declares the village of Roanoke and this continent independent of the English crown and declares himself governor. Over Dare’s protests, of course. When Ananias wants to interrupts Fury reminds him that James has his daughter, Virginia.

And so somewhat later, Ananias announces to the villagers that the colony has been captured by monster and rebels and asks them paradoxically to treat them with respect and with goodwill.

A little later again, Carlo Javier warns Fury that three ships are coming. Each brings unfinished business. The first ship contains someone dead, yet not dead. A friend. It also carries a witch, a changeling and… someone else. Someone whose mind is closed to him.

Another ship contains James’s agents. They are coming to kill Fury. That’s what he would have done in James’s stead, Fury remarks. Very sensible. One of them is the boy Peter, Carlos adds.

And the third ship? Fury asks. More unfinished business, Javier replies, referring to the former Grand Inquisitor and his charges. Javier’s unfinished business. An enemy who once long ago was a friend. The inquisitor, Fury asks. Perhaps they could arrange with Reed to destroy the ship before he ever reaches land. Burn it perhaps…

Javier forbids it. If they murder them, they would be no better. He will think on this. A solution will present itself.

And a little later, Walter flies up Robby Drake over Enrique’s ship. Javier mentally awakes Enrique and finds he has not destroyed the helmet Carlos once made him. He presumes that Enrique is coming to kill them. Or does he still dream of persuading Javier to help in his madness?

He did not come to kill him, Enrique replies. He was on his own voyage for his own purposes when the currents pulled him there. Carlos does not believe that. Mockingly, Enrique asks if the Mondani have embraced Carlos yet. Proclaimed him and his breed their superiors or do they hate them more than ever?

Carlos sighs. Enrique is like a lute player who only knows one tune and plays it over and over. Has his church yet realized that the man who they trust to seek out and burn their Witchbreed only burns those it suits him to burn?

He’s afraid the answer to that is yes. They found out. He orders Petros to wake his sister. Javier and his damned breed are trying something. It’s too late for that Carlos announces. The entire ship is frozen in an iceberg of Robby’s creating. Javier remarks that he could have killed them. Enrique should never forget that.

Aboard the Eagle’s Shadow, Reed is informing the Witchbreed what they are looking for. It’s a simple Borssian phenomenon. There will be a light coming from it, or it will be dark, drawing light into it. What will it look like, Walter asks. Reed has no idea. Like a nothingness perhaps? And where should they look? Hal asks. Where they will. He believes it should be within fifty miles of here. What must they do when they find it, Captain Grimm asks. Come back and tell him? Reed replies. And what will he do then? He has no idea at the moment, Reed admits. Good luck.

A little later in the village of Roanoke, Scotius addresses Walter formally, asking if he has a moment to talk. He believes he may have done Walter a great wrong, without intending it. Indeed? Walter asks, arms crossed. Scotius continues hesitatingly that Walter did not know Jean was… That is to say, he allowed her disguise to fool him… He thought her a man. Yes. Walter agrees curtly. More vulnerable, Scotius continues. If Jean was anyone’s, she was his. She would have been his… and he thought Walter was in love with her. So he was jealous. And all the time Walter thought of her as a man. So he was a fool. A jealous witless fool… and with all his heart he apologizes.

Walter asks him not to. Scotius is puzzled. He does not accept his apology? If Scotius wishes him to, he shall. But he has nothing to apologize for. He was truly deceived and thought that Jean Grey was a man. But he does believe he was in love with that young man. Now they have a job to do. Good Day. Walter leaves and Scotius is flabbergasted.

Ananias welcomes home his daughter who comes ashore with Clea and Rojhaz. Clea immediately states that she needs to talk to Reed, Fury and Javier and whoever else is in charge here. Now. And she needs a hammer and a chisel.

What’s in the barrel? Ananias asks as he leads them to the village. A man’s head preserved in brandy, Clea replies. It seemed a more reliable way to stop it rotting than salting or smoking it. A sailor broached the cask and drank some of the brandy one night, she adds. He went mad, of course.

They reach the village where Clea greets Fury and the second man whom she correctly identifies as Javier. Fury exclaims: Is her husband here? Partly yes, she replies as she begins opening the barrel. They know she comes a county a very long way from here…

From the New World? Fury asks. From this world entirely, Clea corrects him. And now that her husband is dead, she sees no reason not to return home. But her husband is of the opinion that, when this world dies, it will take everything else with it, her own demesne included. So she may as well stay here, and try to help unknot the mess they have made of things. She asks to speak to Reed who joins them.

Outside a house, Donal is drunk, talking to seemingly nothing. The master kept the staff safely, he rants. The king of France slaughtered them and said they worshipped devils. And even then they did not use the staff… they passed it on from master to master and kept it safe and secret.

Holding it was enough. Touching it gave them… it made their minds stronger. They could see things… things long away. Long way. He’s not boring her, is he? It hurts, he moans. In the morning when he wakes, every joint hurts. This was the secret of the Templars. It was the secret that could have brought down popes and kings. You shall have no gods but me for I am a jealous god… She is sure he’s not boring her?

She is certain, the invisible Susan Storm replies. And she’s till there? She’s still here, she calms him. He’s not drunk, he adds. It’s just beer. A man can’t get drunk on beer. She did not say he was drunk, Susan replies. Not drunk. Damned . Damned to hell and gone, he exclaims. He’s not boring her?

Some children watch the spectacle through a fence, wondering who he is. Virginia joins them and the kids inform her that the monster-folk from the ship are looking for the light out on the marshes. Have they found it yet? Virginia asks Don’t think so, the boy replies. Why don’t they tell them where it is? she asks. Why should they? comes the reply. Annoyed Virginia tells them it’s important and they are such … children. Just because she’s been to London she thinks she knows everything and is queen of the world, the boy retorts.

Clea takes out the pickled head of Stephen Strange. She assures them this isn’t pleasant for either of them. Now they must ask questions. Reed greets Strange and tells him it’s good to see him in rather trying circumstances. Strange greets him too and explains that he died that others may have their chance at life. He asks them not to ignore his words. Get on with it, Fury mutters uncomfortably. Is that a question? Strange asks. Nicholas asks: Is the world truly ending?

Strange begins that a person from the future came here fifteen years ago. This event damaged the nature of time itself; and, because time and space are one, it will soon destroy everything.

Reed interrupts. Obviously something is out with time. Just as obviously there is an increasing fragility to existence. To a natural philosopher, it is obvious that the phenomenon that drew them all here can be reduced to four fundamental problems.

As he sees it, their problems are, firstly locating the rip in the fabric of space and time. Not that difficult. Then manipulating and opening it, while not permitting it to destroy everything. Deeply problematic, given the resources at their disposal. Returning whatever came to the future. Extremely difficult. And then continuing to exist. Which by every method of calculation, he has at his disposal is unfortunately completely impossible.

Strange remarks admiringly that Reed is the magician, not he. He is too kind, Reed replies. He had the advantage of a great deal of time with no distractions to think. Having said that, he has a number of specific question…

They are interrupted by Virginia, who informs them she can show them where the thing they are looking for is.

And a little later, Virginia has led them to a rift in space, a lightshow with a small infinity symbol in it. Fascinating! Reed utters. A Peredural distortion, something he would have thought impossible from something so small.

Peredural? Javier asks. Reed explains his own arrangements of Natural Philosophy which uses the Knights of the Round Table to indicate that all disciplines are equal. Each knight describes a set of natural phenomena. Reed prods at the anomaly and draws down notes while explaining. One divides them into categories, in order to think with them, but still there is but one table that is God’s creation.

Peredural – initially, he took this as the force that caused an object to fall towards Earth, but he suspects that it refers to the force that bind the universe together… Lamorackian, into which he has classified all studies of animals, reptiles, birds and such… Borssian, which has to do with particles, atomies and the like, things to small to be seen, Galvanic, which is the pure force behind the lightning, and so on…

He shouts out for Ben to build the rockwall at a certain place and high, then continues that he assigns all things he cannot otherwise place the quality of Merlinic.

So each discipline like each knight is a way of reaching the Grail? Javier asks. Exactly, Reed agrees. Perfect knowledge. And does he not fear there are things God did not intend man to know? Frankly, no, comes the curt reply. He just wishes Rojhaz were able to tell them more about the sciences and alchemies of his day. Hal laughs. Had Sir Reed been in the Garden of Eden and forbidden to eat the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, by the time the Lord returned, Reed would be advising him on the finest preserved fruit recipes.

Well, as he once told Fury… Reed begins while measuring the rift… Where is Fury?

He said he was going to be gone for several days. Something about the ship, comes the reply. As he once told Fury, Reed continues, God gave them eyes to see and hands to grasp and minds to understand his creation. And perhaps, with God’s grace… to save it.

Elsewhere, Peter Parquah returns to the shore after catching some fish. He sings Greensleeves. He breaks off singing as he sees the men from Banner’s crew slaughtered. Sitting next to them is Fury, cleaning his dagger. Yes, they are all quite dead, he informs Peter in a conversational tone and asks him to come over. He’ll not harm him. Come sit by him.

He’d rather stand, Peter replies, ready to run away. Fury tells him to suit himself and asks where Banner is. He’s taken care of everyone but Peter and him. Peter refuses to say. Fury smiles grimly. They crossed the Atlantic to kill him, didn’t they? It’s nothing to be ashamed of. He told Peter to go back to his uncle’s, but it was too late for that. Too late the day he came and took Peter to London. Why didn’t Fury kill him too? Peter demands. He heard him coming. Why?

Undeterred, Fury continues that he’ll never forget the first day he clapped eyes on Peter. While talking, he sees what Peter is doing mirrored in his blades. How the boy is holding up his sword, unsure what to do with it.

Fury continues that he thinks he saw himself in Peter. He was an orphan once. No family, no riches, no home. But he had skill on the battlefield and it was noticed. He found warfare easy. Open warfare and secret wars. One day, he looked around him and he had a fine house and beautiful garden. One day, he was knighted by the Queen. James’ll have given his house to one of his favorites by now. He puts away his knife.

The queen laughed at him because he had no interest in hunting or hawking or masques. What he did was what he was. And now… nothing he does matters. Everything he did… there’s blood on his hands. Reed says God made a thousand thousand worlds each like this one, only different. He hopes there’s one of them where he chose to walk another path. But he fears that in any universe his path will be marked with blood. Reed seeks to save the world. He no longer cares if it lives or dies. Does Peter want to kill him? Then he can go on and slit his throat. Take his head back to James and he’ll pay him handsomely. Fury won’t fight.

He calls out for Peter and turns around. But the boy is gone. Fury begins to laugh.

England, King James’ private chambers. The newly crowned king looks at himself wearing his crown in a mirror. The coronation was a marvelous affair. James met many people and made many promises. He is the first man to rule over both England and Scotland. Given the English defeat of the Irish and the Spanish forces last Christmas, it is not inconceivable that he, or his son, might rule Ireland too.

Suddenly, the candle is snuffed out. A grinning Matthew Murdock crouches on the table. Irreverently calling the king “Jimmy,” he announces that he thought it was time he dropped by to have a word. Who’s there? the King calls out nervously. Just a devil in the dark, comes the reply. He often thinks it must be a terrible thing to be a king. Always having to be afraid of a knife in the back. Sure, and wouldn’t a man be anything else, if he could?

He jumps behind James and covers his mouth with his hand. He can’t hide if he is a king, Matthew threatens. Not if he wants to stay king. James should have kept Fury happy. He did not treat him well. He thinks that if he hears that anything has happened to Fury, he shall be back to discuss the matter and he will not be pleased. Not pleased at all.

Is he going to kill him? James asks. Now, what sort of devil would he be if he did that tonight of all night? Matthew’s reply comes as he heads out of the widow. Bur he could do. Any time he wants. And he ought to remember that. Better to be a beggar than a king, eh Jimmy? And one other thing: Keep you sticky fingers off Ireland. James looks after him, tears of fear in his eyes.

Scotius creates a tunnel in the ice around the frozen ship for Javier and Hal. Is he there to bargain? Enrique states. That’s why he needed them alive. He needs something. Javier asks him to remove his helmet. With a smile Enrique suggests it is better for their conversation to be held aloud and with no chance of Javier twisting the words that come from his mouth. Does he believe he could do that? Javier asks. Enrique scoffs and tells him to say what he wants.

He needs his help comes the reply. The world needs his help. Very good. It is his, comes the reply. Doesn’t he want to hear the terms? Javier asks. Not at all. He agrees to all his terms, as Javier shall one day agree to his. He can’t expect him to agree to his terms without knowing what they are, Javier protests. Do they need his help or not? Enrique asks simply. They do. Then his terms are acceptable to Javier, whatever they are. Because the alternative is worse.

Back ashore, Javier’s Witchbreed protest. Scotius calls it madness. Walter reminds him that Enrique killed their kind, tried to kill him. Javier agrees. He burned those who like Walter could not pass for human. What did he do with the others? Robby asks. A few of them have stayed in his employ. As for the rest nobody knows. Hal calls him an evil monster. There are not monsters, Javier tells him. Surely they have learned that by now. He trusts Enrique because the alternative is worse.

Reed explains to Enrique that there would have been a device to affect the temporal rip. A key as it were, before the Galvanic energies forced it open. The question is whether he can be their key. Can he move it, shape it hold it? Enrique tries and succeeds. But where will he find his Galvanic power to open it. How will he harness the lightning?

The solution is Thor, but Donal forcefully refuses to change back again. Though God himself demanded it, he will not! he shouts. They’ve damned him once. Then he’s damned already, Reed practically points out. Why not do it again? Because… because the first time he did it he did not know what would happen. And now he does! He did not understand the price!

His soul? Clea asks. The price is he spends every waking moment remembering what it was like to be him, Donal reveals. Or drinking to try to forget. Tears fall from his eyes. Do they think… do they think if he were to become him again, that he ever would let himself change back into this?

Is he wiser than Donal, Susan Storm suddenly asks. What? Is he wiser than him, Susan repeats. Aye, Donal admits. His mind is like a silver fish in a clear brook. Everything is simple for him. Then why doesn’t Donal let him decide? Sue suggests. She was listening to him, wasn’t she? Donal asks. Sue takes his hand. She told him she was. Damn them all, Donal whispers as he takes the staff.

Moments later, Thor takes his place, Susan is wiser than them all, he compliments her. No, she just listened when he spoke, she replies.

He asks them to tell him what he must do. Strange informs them via Clea that they are running out of time. They have two days at the most. Perhaps only hours.

A little later, all of the colonists, heroes and Witchbreed are gathered around Sir Reed, who informs them what the are to do. They’ll only bring these along who are essential across the river to the marshes. He wants everyone else to stay in the village. Indoora. There are … energies… that may be released in what they are going to do that will be dangerous. Several of them will be with him and Rojhaz will need to be… Suddenly, he breaks off. He notices Rojhaz is missing. Where in Hades is Rojhaz? Fury demands. Even Javier doesn’t know.

Fury stalks outside and finds Virginia with some other children. He kneels down to her eye level and asks if she knows where Rojhaz is. Probably across the river where the Indians used to be, she ventures. Can she find him? Not if he doesn’t want to be found. He knows the countryside better than any of them. Fury stresses that they need him. Without him, the colony is dead. So is her father. And the world. They have to find him. Does he promise not to hurt him? she asks. Fury swears in England’s name. He gives her his word. The word of a gentleman. Will she help him find Rojhaz? After a moment’s silence Virginia agrees.

Changing into a dog, she follows Rojhaz’ trail, with Fury running after her. Suddenly, she stops. Has she lost his scent? Fury asks the white dog.

Someone throws a pebble at Fury’s head. He looks up to see Rojhaz standing on the rocks above him. He has painted his face in an approximation of his Captain America mask. He’s not going back, he informs Fury. This is his country. They need him! He can’t leave them. They don’t have to make the same mistakes again. They’re here at the birth of a nation… of a dream. Nobody has to die. They can work together to protect them. His people.

One girl currently in the form of a hound, and a handful of settlers? Fury asks. His People?

They’re America, Rojhaz stresses. One day they’ll be America. And he… he’ll make them proud to be Americans. If he doesn’t return to his own time there won’t be anything, Fury retorts. Doesn’t he understand?

Rojhaz replies that he knows Fury and all those people who have come to Roanoke. He knew them all a long time ago. He remembers Reed and Sue and Javier and all of them… He remembers… He’s known them for a long time…

Fury interrupts his rambling, asking him to come down so they can talk about this. He won’t hurt him. Rojhaz warns him not to come closer. Fury points out: Rojhaz says he knew him, someone like him. In another time. Another world. Would that other Nicholas Fury betray him? Would he lie to him? Think about it.

Rojhaz decides to trust him and come down. Good man, Fury remarks and takes his hand. He knows, that other Nick Fury he knew… Yes? He isn’t him, Fury replies and sucker-punches Rojhaz. He lied.

Fury carries the unconscious Rojhaz on his back, accompanied by the Virginia dog, unaware that Banner and Peter have seen them.

What is he doing? Peter asks. Banner doesn’t care. He takes his crossbow, intent on shooting his quarry Fury.

Virginia, in her dog form, attacks him and goes for his throat. Peter hesitates and looks into the dog’s eyes. Banner urges him to kill the animal. Instead, Peter calmly talks to her, telling her to get off Banner. She’s done what she came for. They won’t get Fury now. And Virginia obeys.

Getting to his feet, Banner asks what that was. It almost seemed to understand Peter. He’s always been good with dogs, Peter proffers. Banner sighs. They’ve lost Fury. But he won’t avoid them forever. He notices the strange light, fearing a storm will be coming.

Nearing the source of the lightshow is Fury, who shouts at Reed that he brought Rojhaz. Reed need to make it happen now!

Safe behind the walls are the other marvels. Reed protests they can’t leave Fury up there. How else are they going to get Rojhaz through the gate, Fury retorts.

It would mean Fury’s death, Carlos worries. Wasn’t he listening? Clea asks. This is what he wants. She orders Enrique and Thor to make it happen. With a nod of his head Enrique replies that it has begun. She orders Thor to channel the lightning and he complies. Fury walks into the heart of the growing anomaly. Reed orders everybody to close their eyes as the energy effect grows.

Banner in a surprisingly selfless act shoves Peter down and covers him when the energy reaches them as well.

There is a noise then, so loud it fills the world. The sound of a universe screaming in pain. The sound of a world dying. And after that silence.

So it is over, a voice states. I feel time reconfiguring itself. The colony at Roanoke simply starves, their first winter in the harsh new continent. A handful of survivors are rescued by the natives. Virginia Dare will die in the form of a white deer, her own name on her lips as she transforms for the final time, never now to become queen of anything…

Everything I did, I did for good reason. And yet… and yet… if this right, why do I feel so… empty? Uatu the Watcher wonders aloud.

Another giant Watcher appears in front of him, explaining that Uatu feels shame. Uatu replies hesitatingly that he did everything he was required to do. And he did it well, the other agrees. Still as they watch the entirety of creation, for the rest of time, their shame will always linger. They meddled for selfish reasons. But if he hadn’t interfered Uatu points out, they could never have mended it themselves, could they? They will never know, the other replies, calling him Ikor’s child. All is now well. The universes continue. As much as they are shamed by him, they are proud of him. And so, that Uatu not forget his shame and so that they do not forget this triumph the high tribunal have a gift for him. They have crafted it from the fringes of alternity. It is small. Keep it safely. He hands him a small glowing object which Uatu promises to carry within his heart. A tiny universe… and with mounting fascination once more he begins to watch.

Banner gets off the unconscious Peter. Enrique states that it would seem the universe did not end. But if it had ended and a whole new universe had taken its place, how would they ever know? Reed argues. Philosophers can argue such questions until the end of time, Clea remarks, it matters not. Taking her dead husband’s head, she states that Stephen is silent. She orders Reed to bury his head with his body. Treat it with honor. He died that worlds might live. It is finally time for her to go home. Into a wall she draws a doorway. It opens to reveal a madcap other reality into which Clea steps.

While Thor joins the heroes Banner runs away. Fascinating, Enrique remarks, watching the doorway fading in the wake of Clea’s departure.

Landing, Thor admits that Susan’s words were wise. Soon he shall soar skywards. The gods of the Aesir await him. Fair Sif awaits him. His father awaits him. And what of Donal? Susan inquires. His father Wotan will with wise words advise them both. He cannot be happy while he hears Donal screaming.

Javier wants to thank Enrique. Much too early for thanks, comes the reply. Now, his terms. They are reasonable. He will be sailing north. Firstly, he is to be left alone. No interference. No investigation. Nothing unless he calls for Javier’s help. And secondly, he wants Javier to teach his children. Wanda and Petros. And they are never to know that they are his. Teach them well, he tells Javier. One day he shall send for them.

Somewhere else, Reed and Susan watch the sunset. So everything has been restored? she asks. Perhaps, Reed muses. But he fears the creation that has been restored is not the same one as the one that would have been. They gave Rojhaz back to the future. They also gave them Fury, he points out.

They carry Javier back and Reed suggests that they declare the colony independent of England. Javier’s people can guard the coast. James is a long way away. He lacks the coffers or the will to prosecute a war so far from here. And will Reed be their king? Carlos asks. He does not believe that there will be any more all for Kings or Queens, Reed muses. He shall suggest to Master Dare that they make the colony a place where all people – people of all shapes and talents – can prosper.

They are unaware that, from the forest, Banner, now changed into a gray Hulk, watches them.

Virginia wakes, helped to her legs by Peter. He asks her if she saw where Master Banner went. He was trying to protect Peter from the strange light. He thinks he fell asleep. Virginia doesn’t remember either. Peter muses that Banner will tell James that he stopped him from killing Fury. He is a dead man if he goes home. His aunt and uncle….

Virginia suggests they can get them out of England somehow. And he can stay with Virginia and her father until then. Peter would like that. Suddenly he screams out in pain as a glowing spider dropped from a tree and bites the back of his hand. Virginia gently scolds him that it’s not the end of the world. She’ll put a poultice on it. And together they go home.