Chapter 10: Ripples in the Dark

The cold night air was thick with the scent of burnt metal and ozone as Emma and Peter made their way back to the city. The adrenaline from the fight was fading, leaving behind exhaustion and the nagging weight of unanswered questions. The suited man had vanished without a trace, leaving them with only a destroyed machine and a cryptic warning.

Peter broke the silence first. "So… what's next? We tell Stark?"

Emma exhaled, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah. He's going to find out anyway. Better if we get ahead of it."

Peter groaned. "You know he's going to give us the 'I told you so' speech, right?"

Emma smirked. "I can handle a little scolding. I'd rather deal with that than walk into another fight blind."

Peter nodded. "Fair point. Let's get this over with."

Back at the Tower, Tony was already waiting for them. He stood in the middle of the lab, arms crossed, wearing the classic 'disappointed but impressed' look.

"So," he began, his voice laced with sarcasm, "I take my eyes off you two for one night, and you go investigating secret weapons deals? You couldn't just, I don't know, watch Netflix like normal teenagers?"

Peter scratched the back of his head. "In our defense, we technically won."

Tony sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, great. Except now, whoever was behind that little robot friend of yours knows you're on to them. That's not exactly what I'd call 'winning.'"

Emma crossed her arms. "They were watching me before, Tony. This just confirmed it."

Tony's gaze softened slightly. "I know. And that's what worries me."

He turned to the holographic interface, bringing up data FRIDAY had compiled. "I ran some scans on the machine you fought. Its tech is… unusual. Not just Stark-level, but something else. A fusion of alien and human design."

Peter's eyes widened. "Wait, are we talking Hydra-level bad, or 'extraterrestrial warlord' bad?"

Tony grimaced. "Could be both."

Emma stepped forward. "Do we have any leads? Any way to track where it came from?"

FRIDAY's voice chimed in. "Negative. The components are custom-made, and the energy signature is encrypted. However, there was a residual frequency recorded during the fight. It matches an anomaly detected several weeks ago in Eastern Europe."

Tony rubbed his chin. "Looks like we're taking a little field trip."

Emma's stomach twisted. She had expected this, but the reality of jumping into a larger mystery was daunting. Still, if she wanted answers, this was the way to get them.

The Quinjet sliced through the night sky, the hum of its engines steady as Emma sat by the window, watching the city lights fade beneath them. Peter sat across from her, drumming his fingers on his knee.

"So, Eastern Europe," he mused. "Any idea what we're walking into?"

Emma shook her head. "Not yet. But I have a feeling it's bigger than just stolen tech."

Tony's voice crackled through the comms. "That's an understatement. FRIDAY pulled some records—there's been increased chatter in the underground arms trade about 'experimental weapons' surfacing in the region. Some of it's connected to old Hydra remnants, but there's another group involved."

Emma tensed. "Another group?"

Tony sighed. "Yeah. Ever heard of The Veil?"

Peter frowned. "Sounds ominous."

Tony nodded. "Because it is. They're a shadow organization—no real name, no known leadership, just whispers in the dark. If they're involved, this is going to get messy."

Emma clenched her fists. The idea of an unknown enemy moving in the shadows sent a chill down her spine. She wasn't afraid of a fight, but fighting something she couldn't see? That was another matter entirely.

They landed just outside a remote town in Romania. The air was cool, and the streets were nearly empty, save for a few distant figures moving through the fog-draped alleys.

Tony led the way, his suit's HUD scanning for energy signatures. "We're looking for an underground facility. The signal FRIDAY picked up was coming from somewhere beneath the city."

Emma nodded, keeping her senses sharp. Her flames pulsed beneath her skin, ready to be called upon if needed.

They moved through the streets, the quiet unnerving. Then, suddenly, FRIDAY's voice cut through the silence.

"Sir, we have company."

From the shadows, figures emerged—clad in black, their faces hidden behind sleek masks. They moved with precision, their weapons humming with energy unlike anything Emma had seen before.

Peter tensed. "I'm guessing these aren't the welcoming committee?"

One of the masked figures stepped forward, tilting their head slightly. "You shouldn't have come."

Emma's heart pounded as she stepped beside Tony. "Too late for that."

The figure sighed. "Then you leave us no choice."

With a snap of his fingers, the street exploded into chaos.

Emma barely had time to react before the first wave of attackers lunged. She ignited her equilibrium flames, blocking an energy blast that would have struck Peter. The force sent her skidding back, but she held her ground.

Tony fired off a repulsor blast, knocking two assailants into a wall. "Alright, I think it's safe to say these guys are not friendly."

Peter flipped through the air, webbing two attackers together before landing beside Emma. "Plan?"

Emma gritted her teeth. "We fight."

The battle erupted in full force. Emma dodged and weaved through enemy fire, sending controlled bursts of her divine and chaos flames to knock back her opponents. But these enemies were trained—they adapted quickly, moving with an almost unnatural coordination.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw it—a shimmering rift, barely visible, forming in the air behind the attackers.

Her breath caught. "Tony! The rift—"

Before she could finish, one of the masked figures lunged forward, striking her with a pulse of dark energy. Pain exploded through her chest as she stumbled back, barely staying on her feet.

Peter shouted her name, but she barely heard him. Her vision blurred, the world tilting.

And then—

The rift pulled her in.

The last thing she heard was Tony's voice, yelling something unintelligible, before the darkness swallowed her whole.

Emma awoke to silence.

The air was different—thick, heavy with an energy she couldn't quite place. She pushed herself up, her body aching, and looked around.

She wasn't in Romania anymore.

The sky above her was fractured, streaks of violet light cutting through the darkness. The ground beneath her pulsed with unfamiliar energy.

A new world. A new danger.

And she was alone.

■□■□■□■

So, those were the first ten chapters.

Should I continue?

Did you enjoy it?

Do you have any ideas, tips or advice?

Let me know.