Chapter 11: The Rift Within

Alex sat on the edge of a rock outcropping just beyond the Howling Commandos' camp, staring at the vast forest that stretched into the distance. The air was crisp, but the chill didn't touch him. He could feel the energy within him humming faintly, like a second heartbeat. Ever since the raid on the Hydra facility, the tension within the team had become unbearable. He wasn't blind to the side glances, the hushed whispers when he entered a room.

Dum Dum Dugan's words echoed in his mind: "He's a walking time bomb."

"Maybe he's right," Alex muttered, his breath visible in the cold air.

Steve's voice broke through his thoughts, calm but firm. "You're not a danger, Alex. Not if you don't let yourself become one."

Alex turned to see Steve standing a few feet away, his iconic shield slung over his back. Steve always seemed to know when Alex needed someone to talk to, but tonight, Alex wasn't in the mood.

"You don't understand, Steve," Alex said, shaking his head. "You don't know what it's like to feel… this. To have something inside you that you can't control."

Steve stepped closer, his gaze steady. "You're right. I don't. But I do know what it's like to have the world doubt you. To feel like you don't belong. And I also know you don't have to face it alone."

Alex looked away, his jaw tightening. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but it's not just about me anymore. It's about the team. And if I'm putting everyone at risk…"

"You're not," Steve interrupted. "And even if you were, we'd figure it out. That's what a team does. But you have to let us in, Alex. Hiding won't solve anything."

Before Alex could respond, the camp's alarm blared—a harsh, jarring sound that shattered the quiet night.

---

The Attack

The Howling Commandos scrambled to their positions as the sound of approaching vehicles and distant gunfire filled the air. Hydra was here, and they weren't holding back.

"Hydra really doesn't know when to quit," Peggy muttered, grabbing her rifle as she joined Steve near the front lines.

Alex hesitated, his hands clenching into fists. He could feel the Tesseract's energy surging within him, responding to his rising adrenaline.

Steve noticed his hesitation. "Alex, we need you."

That was all it took. Alex nodded, falling in line with the others as the first wave of Hydra soldiers broke through the treeline.

The battle was chaotic—bullets flying, explosions lighting up the dark forest, and the sound of shouting on all sides. Alex moved instinctively, using his enhanced strength and speed to take down enemies, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Hydra wasn't attacking indiscriminately. They were moving with purpose, their forces focused on one goal: him.

---

The Vision

In the heat of the battle, Alex felt a sudden, overwhelming pull deep within his mind. The world around him seemed to slow, the sounds of the fight fading into a distant hum.

A voice echoed in his head—calm, powerful, and alien.

"Alex Carter."

He turned, and the battlefield melted away, replaced by an endless expanse of stars. Standing before him was a towering figure, its form cloaked in shimmering light. Its eyes glowed with ancient wisdom, and its presence was both calming and terrifying.

"Who… who are you?" Alex asked, his voice trembling.

"I am the Watcher," the being said. "I observe all that transpires across the multiverse. I have seen your path, Alex Carter, and I have come to warn you."

"Warn me? About what?"

The Watcher gestured, and before Alex's eyes, the stars shifted, forming images of other worlds—other realities. In one, he saw himself consumed by the Tesseract's power, his body glowing with blue energy as he stood atop a mountain of destruction. In another, he saw the Commandos—Steve, Peggy, and the others—fighting against him, their faces filled with fear and betrayal.

"These are but shadows of what could be," the Watcher said. "The energy within you is a fragment of the Tesseract, a force beyond mortal comprehension. If you do not master it, it will master you."

Alex shook his head, panic rising in his chest. "I don't want this power. I didn't ask for it!"

"Yet it is yours," the Watcher replied. "And with it comes responsibility. The choices you make will ripple across the multiverse, fracturing timelines and shaping the convergence to come."

Alex's voice was barely a whisper. "Convergence? What does that mean?"

The Watcher's expression darkened. "The threads of reality are delicate, and your presence has already begun to strain them. Be vigilant, Alex Carter. The convergence will test you in ways you cannot imagine."

Before Alex could ask more, the vision shattered, and he was back on the battlefield.

---

The Rift

Alex staggered, his breath coming in short gasps as reality reasserted itself. Around him, the fight raged on, but something was different. The Tesseract's energy inside him felt unstable, volatile.

"Alex, get down!" Peggy's voice cut through the chaos as she tackled him to the ground, a Hydra soldier's grenade exploding just feet away.

The surge of energy was immediate and uncontrollable. A pulse of blue light erupted from Alex, knocking Peggy back and creating a shimmering rift in the air above them.

Everyone froze, their eyes fixed on the rift. It wasn't just a tear in space—it was a window into another world.

Through the rift, Alex saw glimpses of alternate realities. In one, he was a soldier leading Hydra's forces, his eyes glowing with Tesseract energy. In another, he was a hero celebrated by the Avengers, standing alongside figures he didn't recognize. And in yet another, the Earth was in ruins, consumed by a cosmic force he couldn't comprehend.

The rift flickered and collapsed, leaving only stunned silence in its wake.

---

Aftermath and Doubt

The battle ended soon after, Hydra retreating with heavy losses. But the damage was done. The Howling Commandos gathered around Alex, their expressions ranging from concern to fear.

"What the hell was that?" Dum Dum demanded, his voice shaking. "That… thing you just did?"

"I didn't mean to," Alex said, his voice hollow. "It just… happened."

Steve stepped forward, his tone calm but firm. "Alex, we need answers. That wasn't just energy—you opened a door to somewhere else."

Peggy added, her gaze steady, "And if Hydra knows about this, they'll stop at nothing to use it against us."

Alex looked at his hands, his mind racing. The Watcher's warning echoed in his thoughts, but he couldn't bring himself to explain it—not yet.

"I don't know what's happening to me," he admitted. "But I promise I'll figure it out. I just need time."

---

Closing Scene

Far away, Baron Zemo stood in a dimly lit Hydra laboratory, watching footage of the battle taken by a hidden drone. The image of Alex creating the rift played on repeat, Zemo's lips curling into a cold smile.

"So, the boy has finally begun to unlock his potential," Zemo said, turning to his scientists. "Prepare the extraction device. If the Tesseract's energy can tear through reality, imagine what it will do in the hands of Hydra."

As the scientists scrambled to obey, Zemo stared at the screen, his eyes filled with determination.

"The convergence begins."