As Felix cleared a spot, he scanned the curious documents, looking to see if any of them contained secrets. “Optogenetics? Why does that sound familiar?” he asked, flipping through an old, water-damaged notebook.
Banyaga swiped it from his hands. “That’s not yours. Sit down and don’t go through people’s things,” he scoffed. “Optogenetics is a technique that uses light to change the behavior of genetically modified tissues or organisms. One little flashbulb and BAM! Metamorphosis. Not exactly, but you know what I mean. A few years back, a group of local scientists were able to erase specific memories in laboratory mice. It left me fascinated. Oh, to be a human trial. There are more than a few painful childhood memories I’d love to burn to a crisp, but, alas, who has the time? We’re the sum of all our parts—the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
“Duuuuuude!” Felix moaned. “In the hands of the wrong person, that kind of genetic technology could be extremely dangerous. We’re talking mind wiping here.”
Banyaga was expressionless as he stared at Felix in silence.
“What?” asked Felix. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Banyaga sighed. “Science, in all its forms, contains the building blocks of existence. It’s inherently dangerous, no matter who uses it. Now, close your mouth and don’t say another word, I’m going to guess Erik’s plan.” He rubbed his chin like a master detective, circling the room as he made his case. “You’re broken up about half the population kicking the bucket. Sleepless nights, restful days. Ran away from your problems as far as your spindly legs could take you. Then you heard about Iggy Bixby’s sci-fi party. It burned your butt not to be invited. Now you’re here, begging me to take you as my plus-one. Am I close?”
“Hardly,” Selvig said. “I need to create a device that can harness cosmic energies and communicate directly with the collective consciousness of the universe.”
“Oh cool. Something easy,” Banyaga said, taking a seat at the table.
“Wait just a second,” Darcy said. “I thought we were here to ask about Jane.”
“The plan has changed,” said Selvig.
“Jane! Love her. How’s she doing?” Banyaga asked. The looks on their faces told him everything he needed to know. “Well, she’s in a better place. Wherever that may be.”
“She’s not dead, Bisi,” Selvig grumbled. “She’s just—”
“Why did Doctor Selvig call you the Reverse Engineer?” Felix blurted out.
“Because that’s what I do,” Banyaga explained. “I take things apart, study them, and put them back together. Sometimes they work in new ways, and sometimes they don’t. Everything is a work in progress.”
Felix spotted a tribal mask on the wall. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing.
“A dead alien head,” said Banyaga. “Kidding. It’s a piece of history. What’s it to you? Writing a book?”
“Ahem!” Selvig dramatically pretended to clear his throat.
Banyaga glared at him from across the room. “I can definitely help you, Erik. Trust. But it’ll cost you.”
“These things always do,” Selvig said. “What’s the price?”
“I want to hear all about that juicy Tesseract,” he purred. “The jewel of Odin’s throne room! Haven’t stopped thinking about that thing since I first read about it. Been a long time since you’ve visited me, so now that you’re here, I want to hear your firsthand experiences. Oh, I need those hot S.H.I.E.L.D. secrets, Erik. I know you’ve got some that weren’t in that big ol’ info dump a few years back. Lay ’em on me!”
“You’re fun,” Darcy said. “Can we keep you?”
Banyaga giggled. “Girl, don’t make me blush. You can’t afford all this,” he said, grandly presenting himself as if in front of a royal court. “Unless you know Captain America. For him, I’d travel far and wide. Add Bucky to the mix, and I’d definitely ship it.”
“Sh-ship?” Selvig stuttered. “You’d ship… what?”
“Oh, Erik, you need to brush up on your Urban Dictionary,” Banyaga said, shaking his head. “I don’t have time to educate you on everything.”
“Settle this for me, bigshot,” Felix blurted out, raising his hand. “How did Captain America survive, trapped in a block of ice for, like, fifty years? That’s impossible.”
Banyaga cackled. “We’ve got gods and aliens runnin’ around our planet, and this kid wants to use the word impossible?! Steve Rogers was turned into a super-soldier, okay? His body chemistry was changed.”
“Yeah… b-but…” Felix stuttered.
“Mouth shut. Listen to your elders,” Banyaga said. “There’s this microorganism called a tardigrade, right? Ugly thing. I call it a nightmare pig cuz that’s what it looks like. The tardigrade is quite special indeed. You see, it can metabolize glycogen in its liver, which then reduces the osmotic shrinkage of cells.”
“Oh. Okay. I think I understand now. Cap’s blood must’ve contained extreme amounts of glucose, which means the water in his blood was never able to freeze, which thereby preserved his body in the ice. Of course!” exclaimed Felix.
“Yes. Of course. Now he gets it,” Banyaga said with a playful mocking tone. “The long and short of it is Captain America’s enhanced blood contains a cryoprotectant, which allowed his body to remain in a state of icy hibernation. The man was, in a word, preserved.”
“Enough chatter,” Selvig groused. “Please, Bisi. We came here with a purpose.”
“I know, Erik!” Banyaga roared. “You need a device that can harness cosmic energies and communicate directly with the collective consciousness of the universe. You already told me. As if I’m just supposed to whip one up out of nowhere. I could if I had the resources.”
Selvig tossed Bixby’s party invitation onto the table.
“So, you got one,” Banyaga said, inspecting the card. “Drone delivery?”
“Secondhand,” replied Selvig. “If you tell me about Bixby’s plan for the Crescent, I’m prepared to speak about the Tesseract.”
“Bahp, bahp, bahp!” Felix exclaimed. “What’s this Crescent business, now?”
“None of your concern, Felix. Stop questioning the mission,” Selvig said. His frustration was showing. “Do we have a deal, Bisi?”
Banyaga quieted himself and adopted a sly poker face. “I’ll put you on the path you need to be on, Erik. Promise. Now… let’s hear a little bit about that beautiful blue cube.”
Selvig, having reached an agreement, settled in to tell the tale. “Tønsberg, Norway. March 1942,” he said ominously.
“STOP! HOLD UP! NO!” Banyaga shouted. “Don’t need to hear a history lesson, man. Certainly not your version. What I want are the details I can’t get from a textbook or a S.H.I.E.L.D. info dump. I’d like to hear the Tesseract’s modern journey, if you don’t mind. Preferably the part where its story intertwines with yours, Erik.”
Selvig recalibrated. “As you may know, after World War II, the Tesseract was recovered by Howard Stark. He moonlighted as one of the founding members of S.H.I.E.L.D., studying the device, but, sadly, he was never able to reignite its vast power supply. Decades later, director Nick Fury drafted me for Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S., which he’d been putting together at the Joint Dark Energy Mission Facility in the Mojave Desert. The project’s goal was to crack the Tesseract’s code, as it were. I surrounded myself with great minds. Superb thinkers. We worked very hard to deliver results, but even with S.H.I.E.L.D.’s resources, we couldn’t break down the Tesseract’s true origin. It was a cosmic item of power, yes, but it had to be rooted in science, as all things are. My team and I could get only so far in our research before we hit a brick wall. Then Loki arrived, and we were finally able to see the Tesseract’s purpose realized. It was a gateway through the universe.”
Felix raised his hand. “Like a black hole?”
“No, no, no. Mass and energy cause curvatures in space-time, according to Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. If the mass is extreme, these curvatures can become so intense tha
t light is unable to escape. That’s a black hole. The Tesseract is different. It’s a bridge, not a—”
“Hole.”
“Correct. Theoretically, it’s possible for the curvature to lean in the opposite orientation so it connects two different regions of space, creating a shortcut and allowing direct travel. One would need a negative mass to generate and stabilize a bridge so powerful, which is why this is merely a theory at the moment. It’s unclear how the Tesseract produces this effect, but we do know its power can be amplified. Loki used his Scepter to enhance the Tesseract’s power so much that it completely destroyed the Joint Dark Energy Mission Facility. He controlled my mind with that Scepter. He made me do terrible things.” Selvig tried his best not to get emotional as he recalled the events, but he wasn’t having much luck. “Imagine being caged inside your own body. That’s what I experienced while under his influence. Loki had me create a device that focused the Tesseract’s energy to open a portal that brought an army of barbaric extraterrestrials to our planet. The Chitauri laid waste to New York City because of conditions I created while under Loki’s influence. I think about that. Every day.”
Felix put his hand on Selvig’s shoulder, speaking softly. “Don’t go there, Doc.”
“My cousin found a Chitauri behind a dumpster in Queens a few years ago. The thing was eating rats and crying. Or so she said,” Banyaga claimed.
“That’s impossible. The Chitauri hive mind got shut down during the Battle of New York. There’s no way one of them was still up and running,” said Felix.
“Well, my cousin is also a known liar,” Banyaga said. “Erik, your story is captivating if incomplete. Where’s the Tesseract now, and would you be willing to take me there?”
“Thor took the Tesseract back to Asgard where, I assume, it still lives,” Selvig said, exhaling. “I believe you now have a promise to keep, Bisi. What is Bixby planning? What do you know about the Crescent?”
Banyaga leaned back in his chair. “I don’t know what this Crescent is that you speak of.”
Selvig pointed at the invitation. “The symbol. The half-moon. The Crescent.”
“Oh that? It’s called branding,” Banyaga said. “You know who can answer your question a lot better than I can? Bixby.” He took a deep breath. “Our agreement was for me to put you on the path you need to be on, so that’s what I’m going to do. Go to Ignatius Bixby’s party. That’s the path. End of story.”
“Absolutely not!” Selvig exclaimed. “I won’t entertain the thought.”
“You want the truth? Bixby’s been stockpiling materials. Elements. Metals. There have been rumors. I wasn’t going to tell you this because it’s all just gossip, which you know I love, but I don’t trust it. Then I looked at the patterns and… Bixby is definitely up to something. Usually, he’s all over the place, showing off whatever junky thing he’s made, talking, talking, talking. But not this time. That loudmouth has gone totally silent. When I got the invite to his party, that’s when I knew. He’s got a trick up his sleeve. He’s about to play his hand. According to the patterns, he may have whatever this thing is that you want. Go, don’t go, makes no difference to me, but the party’s happening, so you’ll need to make a decision pretty quick.”
Darcy sighed. “How far away is this thing?” she asked. “Please don’t tell me it’s in another state. My poor car is on her last legs.”
“You’re in luck. It’s thirty minutes away. How’s that for a cosmic coincidence?” Banyaga asked. “Traffic should be light.” He whipped a knapsack off a shelf and tossed it at Selvig. “You’re gonna need what’s in that if you want this operation to remain covert. Ask Darcy to help you figure out a look.”
Selvig peeked into the bag. “This is filled with wigs,” he said, perplexed.
“Yes, and they’re expensive, too. I want them, back,” Banyaga said. “Now, get out of here. I need to eat my Agatogo and watch my stories.”
Darcy was exhausted. Felix ached for excitement. Selvig wasn’t sure what to do next. He felt backed into a corner. He knew Banyaga wouldn’t steer him into a trap, but the last thing he wanted to do was attend Bixby’s gathering. It was written all over his face.
“Don’t get in the way of yourself, Erik. You’ll trip,” Banyaga said. He thought about his words for a moment. “Should I put that on a T-shirt? I should put that on a T-shirt.”
The wheels turned inside Selvig’s head. Time was running out.
“This is it. This is the end,” Darcy sniffled. “After all these years, it’s time to finally say good-bye.” She lay dramatically across the hood of the Mary Jackson, petting her car as if it were a family pet being laid to rest. “You were valiant till the end, girl. Rest in peace.” The short drive from Bisi Banyaga’s junkyard in Compton to Ignatius Bixby’s compound in the Hollywood Hills was too much for Darcy’s car to bear. After countless road trips, errands, late-night snack runs, and impromptu beach excursions, the Mary Jackson rolled to a stop and died. Selvig was anxious for Darcy’s episode to end.
“Enough, Darcy,” he said. “Let’s get going.”
“This car was my life, Erik. I was living in it when Jane hired me. It’s the only thing I’ve ever owned if you don’t count my college debt.” Darcy drew a smiley face in the soot that covered the driver’s side window. She kissed the roof of the dirty car and bid adieu. “Ya ain’t much to look at but ya gave me a lot of good years. I’m gonna miss you, girl.”
“I’m really sorry, Darcy,” Felix said. He put his hand on her shoulder as a comforting gesture. “She stank like Cheez Doodles and gasoline, but I’ll never forget her. Rest in peace.”
“We’re losing time,” groaned Selvig. “Bixby’s expo is getting underway.” He threw up his hands in a manic panic. “It was just a car.”
Darcy had reached her wit’s end. “Just a car that wouldn’t have died had it not driven cross-country on your quest!” she snapped.
Selvig made a pithy noise. “New Mexico to California is hardly cross-country.”
“I’m done,” Darcy said. She popped the trunk, grabbed her backpack, and started walking.
“We’ve reached our destination,” Selvig said. “Stop being so emotional.”
The sheer rudeness stopped Darcy in her tracks. “Excuse me, Selvig. Do you know how many times I’ve shown up for you? Because I do. I show up. A lot. I take you everywhere you want to go. I’ve spent nights doing your filing. I’ve spent mornings cataloging your reports. I’ve missed birthdays, bar mitzvahs, my landlady’s funeral. Oh, and I’ve almost been killed by aliens and a…”
“Jotunheim beast,” reminded Felix.
“Yeah, one of those!” Darcy said, shaking her finger in the air. Her tone turned serious. “I believe in you, Erik. I love science. I respect the truth. But this wild-goose chase you’ve taken us on has exhausted me, and I need some space, like, now.” She took off down the street, walking briskly and trying not to think about where she was going.
Felix ran to Darcy and made a final appeal to keep her from leaving. “Come inside. Please. We came all this way. We’re so close to…” He wasn’t sure what to say. “We’re close to something. Okay? We have to be. Let’s just go inside, check it out, and then you can walk away from this gig forever. I know I’m just some smart-ass kid who came along for the ride, but up that hill is a party, and I’m wearing a bow tie. If that’s not fate, I don’t know what is.” Felix’s lame joke made Darcy giggle. “We can’t do this without you.”
“I beg your pardon?” Selvig said.
“All your science buddies knew it! Why don’t you? It takes a village, man. Darcy is the glue that’s keeping our little village together,” Felix replied. “Why are you serving us all this attitude, Doc? I thought your mind was healed.”
Selvig undid a few buttons on his shirt. He needed the air. “Ignatius Bixby has been a thorn in my side for a very long time. The thought of confronting him makes me nervous.” He took a seat on the curb. “The man has been badgering me to join him for ag
es. He’s thrown money at me repeatedly, but it always came with strings. I learned to ignore him. Eventually, he stopped. Men like him make me seethe. Con men, opportunists who build their names on the backs of hardworking people.”
“Does he know what we know about the Tesseract and the Aether?” Felix asked.
“I assume so, based on what Bisi told us. Bixby is a despicable human being. If he’s built something that can harness their power… if he now possesses a device that can communicate with forces beyond what we know…” There was fear in Selvig’s eyes. “It’s the end.”
“Doc, there was this one night, when you first came to the hotel,” Felix began. “I heard you in your room, talking to yourself, going through all this knowledge, lining up all these things that sounded awesome. Then you got really mad. Started banging on your desk. Something about how you couldn’t go back. You got so bent out of shape over the Water of Sight. Then I never heard you mention it again. Why is that?”
“Felix, you don’t understand what you’re talking about,” Selvig said. He stood up from the curb. “I won’t discuss it any further.”
“What if Bixby can actually help us? The guy has resources. So, what if there are strings attached? We’ll just use him for what we need and cut him off when all is said and done. All options should be on the table,” Felix said. “What if the Water of Sight is the key that unlocks everything? He could help us figure out—”
“The Water of Sight is far too dangerous for human beings to tamper with. I’ve seen its power firsthand. Thor could barely handle the experience. It’s unpredictable. An unknown quantity. It can’t be controlled, which means it can’t be studied, which means it’s of no use to my work,” Selvig said.”
Felix shook his head in frustration. “Blah, blah, blah. You’re afraid. Just admit it and walk away. Where’s the Doctor Selvig who pushes boundaries and goes the distance when the odds are stacked against him, huh? I thought you were better than this, dude.”
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