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Fury stood on top of the Quinjet in his black suit, staring into the distance. The cabin door was wide open, and a cold wind ruffled his hair as he stood motionless by the porthole, looking out.
In his view, other Quinjet fighter jets took off in a magnificent formation, their engines roaring and jet flames blazing, leaving bright trails across the sky.
He pressed his earpiece lightly. "We're ready to evacuate. General Ross, where are you?"
"We're coming! Give us some room!" Ross's voice boomed from outside the cabin.
The Red Hulk jumped into the Quinjet, carrying the now-human Ghost Rider hanging on his legs. The massive figure of the red giant filled the cabin.
"You're overweight," Fury observed.
The Red Hulk groaned. His massive form gradually shrank, muscles receded, and his skin sagged. His hair turned from black to gray, and his powerful frame now appeared aged and frail. If not for his signature elastic suit, no one would associate him with the world-destroying Red Hulk.
As the Quinjet lifted off, the hatch closed, and Fury's gaze lingered on the distant aircraft carrier, now armed with dozens of autocannons. The cannons spun rapidly, raining bullets and tearing into the zombie horde below, picking off the undead one by one.
Drawn by the gunfire, the zombies surged toward the center of the deck. The massive aircraft carrier began to collapse, explosions and debris scattering everywhere. Steel beams buckled, flames and smoke pouring from the cracks, engulfing the ship in a horrifying blaze.
Fury watched silently as the shattered vessel disappeared through the final crack in the hatch.
"Are you upset?" Hill asked, stepping up beside him.
Fury took a deep breath, wiping his eyes with a hint of a smile. "I feel sad, like losing a loved one. Maybe it's what people call a midlife crisis."
Hill tapped his shoulder in silent understanding. The carrier had once symbolized their hope and faith, withstanding invasions and threats for years. Until today.
"Alright," Fury said, pulling himself together. "Let's contact Adrian. Hopefully, he's reached an agreement with Doctor Doom."
Adrian sat at a dining table, a phone balanced on his shoulder as he stirred a cup of coffee. "Yeah, it's me. Any injuries on your end? How many of you are still alive?"
"Is that it?" he continued, taking a sip from his coffee. "Alright, you're cleared to come in. We've made a deal with Doom; he'll let you through."
Adrian set the phone down, savoring the warmth and flavor of the coffee. After so long in Universe 2149, running from one crisis to another, he finally had a moment of peace.
With Doom's arrangement, they all had rooms to rest in the vast castle. For now, things were under control, and it felt like a reprieve.
Suddenly, a voice broke the silence.
"Hello?"
He opened his eyes to see Susan, the Invisible Woman, standing nearby. "Weren't you on the terrace with Doom getting some fresh air?"
"Yeah, but I wanted to tell you—there are zombies in Castle Doom," she replied, looking worried. "I saw blood on the ground."
Adrian frowned. Zombies? Bloodstains? There shouldn't have been any breach in Doom's defenses.
He slapped his forehead and rose quickly. "Come on, we need to find Doom!"
"Shouldn't we kill the zombie first?" Susan asked, surprised.
"There's an illusion in the castle. Rooms constantly shift. The bloodstains you saw could be miles from where they appeared," Adrian explained. "Only Doom knows where that zombie is."
Susan's eyes widened. "Is he… infected? Was I just with a zombie?"
Adrian shook his head. "It's not that serious. Doom's just a little too confident in his defenses."
"A… cage?" Susan said, alarmed, while knocking on nearby doors to alert others.
Adrian turned to see the still-sleepy Thing, along with Thor and the Punisher, who were now on high alert. Susan's worried expression clued them in that there was a threat.
"Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch aren't here," Adrian said. "They went to check on the civilians in Latveria. Doom said they were secured in the basement."
Turning back to the group, he continued, "It's Amora. Doom had her locked up, but she got infected and turned into a zombie."
Thor's grip tightened on his hammer. "Then let's end it here."
Adrian nodded. "But we need Doom to show us where she is first. Hopefully, his confidence in his 'cage' hasn't doomed us all."
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