“The three of us,” he said. He grasped it tightly before flicking the photo onto the bed. Darcy calmly retrieved it, using her sleeve to give it a quick shine before placing the photo on the corner of a nearby mirror. “We need to find Jane.”
“We’ve been through this before,” Darcy explained. “Her phone is dead. Her emails bounce back. She probably went on an extended vacation.”
“No, no, no. I reject this notion,” Selvig said. “Jane and I have endured the same hardships. Our bodies have housed otherworldly forces. She and I should know the secrets of the universe, but they aren’t”—he strained to find the right word—“clear. Not yet. But they will be. Jane will help us get to the bottom of this mystery. We’ll figure out what caused this terrible tragedy, and we’ll bring everyone back. We’ll bring them all back.”
“We have to face facts, Erik. Jane might not be among the living anymore.”
“Hogwash!” Selvig exclaimed. He paced back and forth through the minefield of trash. He reached under his bed, retrieved an empty bag of potato chips, and thrust his hand inside it. “And now I’m out of chips!”
Darcy took Selvig and moved his body in front of the mirror. “Get it together, Erik. Your pit stains have pit stains. Your hair is crusty. You need a shower, a shave, and a week’s worth of sleep.”
Looking at himself in the mirror, Selvig was overwhelmed with emotion. “I’m scared, Darcy.” His lip quivered. “Humanity was decimated in the blink of an eye. The planet suffered an unimaginable loss. My gut tells me the answers are out there, but I’ve never felt so afraid to find them. This is frighteningly new territory, and I’m ashamed to say I’m unprepared.”
Darcy put her hand on Selvig’s shoulder. “Take some time off. Get your head together. When you’re feeling good again, we’ll work it out. Sound good?”
“Now is the time for action!” a voice shouted from outside the room.
Darcy rushed to the door. She swung it open to find Felix wearing a fresh sport coat, a bow tie, and a joyous grin. “I was listening to your whole conversation and, um, hear me out—”
“Beat it,” Darcy said. “I don’t care how adorable you look right now. This is not the time.” Darcy tried closing the door, but Felix pushed his way inside. “What do you think you’re doing, dude?”
“Your job,” Felix said, heading straight to Selvig. “Don’t listen to her, Doc. Now is the time. You can fix everything. It’s gotta be you,” Felix pleaded. “You’ve been around a long time. You’re, like, eighty years old, right?”
“I’m a fit sixty-five, thank you very much!”
“Really? You’re only sixty-five?! Whatever. My point is, no one else has seen and experienced the things you have. The world needs answers and she’s not going to find ’em,” Felix said, pointing to Darcy. “There’s only one guy on this planet who’s suited to take on this mission, and its Doctor Erik Selvig. You’re the GOAT, man!”
“There’s no mission, rude little boy,” Darcy said. “And, by the way, he doesn’t know what GOAT means.” She lunged to grab Felix and escort him from the room. He weaved to avoid her, laughing as he went.
“Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Someone’s getting salty. Maybe that’s because you’re just jealous that I’ve got more scientific knowledge than you ever will….”
“Oh please! I’m not doing this with you, kid. What Erik needs is a vacation,” Darcy pressed. “My great-aunt has a vacant condo in Florida. Fully furnished. Days at the pool, nights playing shuffleboard. The median age is sixty-five. Erik, you could get a girlfriend!”
Selvig scrambled around the room. “Felix is right. The time for action is now.” He gathered his most important things and stuffed them into a backpack.
“Yes!” Felix exclaimed. “Now put on some pants. You’re creeping everyone out.”
Selvig quickly threw on a pair of trousers.
“The Tesseract, the Aether, the decimation event… it’s all connected. Somehow. Doctor Jane Foster will be able to help us find those connections. She’ll see the bigger picture. We must track her down at once.” Selvig’s tone was resolute. The decision had been made. He whipped off his T-shirt and replaced it with a crisp green Oxford. “That’s better.”
“Doctor Foster is one of my all-time heroes,” Felix said. “I’ve been stanning her since back in the day.”
Selvig’s eyes narrowed. “What does that mean? Stanning?”
“It means I admire her,” Felix said. “A lot.”
Selvig smiled. “Then I’m stanning her as well!” He began furiously straightening the room. “There are a handful of, shall we say, quirky scientists I’ve shared ideas and theories with over the years. Though we have fallen out of touch, these individuals may be able to help us in our quest.”
“What quest?” Darcy bellowed. “I’m not dressed for a quest.”
“Like I said. Basic,” murmured Felix.
“In order to understand the decimation event, we must gather information from my old colleagues in person and without notice. The element of surprise! They’ll be able to help us locate Jane. Once we’ve assembled our theories, we’ll compare them all and make an educated deduction.”
“Then?”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it!” Selvig cheered.
“Oh man, this is going to be epic,” Felix said, straightening his bow tie. “Glad I’m camera ready, just in case.”
Darcy threw up her hands. “Wait just a minute!” she shouted. “I haven’t agreed to this yet. No one is going on a quest without me, okay? I’m the one with the car.”
Selvig stopped what he was doing. “You’ve always followed me to the ends of the earth, Darcy. I’m forever grateful for your commitment. There are few people I trust completely. You’re one of them. Please. Help me do what needs to be done to heal the planet.”
“That’s a broad request, but I like how you sprinkled in some very truthful compliments. Suppose I can’t say no to that.” Darcy almost smiled as Selvig wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. “But we’re not taking the twelve-year-old.”
“I’m almost thirteen and have a much higher IQ than you do,” Felix said. “You’re not leaving me at this dump. I’m probably days away from being snatched up by Child Protective Services. Then I’ll end up in the foster-care system where who knows what’ll happen.” He shook his head and wagged his finger. “I’ll never fulfill my potential—that would be a crime against humanity. Do you really want that on your conscience? I don’t think you do, girl.”
Selvig considered the proposal. “Welcome aboard, m’boy. Help me gather my things, would you?”
“Don’t get in the way,” Darcy said. The trio collected a few of Selvig’s personal items and headed out to the parking lot. “Ugh, this is all happening too fast! I really hope the Mary Jackson can handle this trek.”
The name piqued Felix’s interest. “Mary Jackson? The famous mathematician and aerospace engineer? What’s she got to do with this?”
“Ta-da!” Darcy said, presenting her rusty red hatchback. The two-door vehicle was coated in soot and looked as if it could fall apart at any moment. “I named my car after her. She’s my inspiration. The Mary Jackson may be a relic from the early nineties, but her spirit is timeless.”
“This car is trash.” Felix groaned. “The real Mary Jackson, however, remains a queen.”
Ken spotted Felix, Darcy, and Selvig and hastily approached them. “Where do you think you’re going, boy? The toilets are still dirty,” he growled.
Felix took a long, deep breath. “Ken, thanks for giving me a job in exchange for a place to stay. That was kind. However. One act of kindness doesn’t forgive the fact that you treat people like garbage and are, on the whole, a massive jerk. Take your toilet brush and—”
Darcy pushed Felix into the back seat and shut the door. “We’re leaving now.”
Felix rolled down the window and stuck his head out. “There will be no cleaning toilets today or ever again!” he shouted.
“A wire transfer is in progress, I assure you,” Selvig replied. He shut the door as Darcy started the engine. “See you ’round. We’re going to save the world.”
“We’ll see about that,” grumbled Ken.
Darcy swung the Mary Jackson out of the parking lot and onto the road.
“So, Erik, where you wanna go?” Darcy asked.
“Here. Here! Here!” Selvig screeched. “Darcy, turn HERE!”
Darcy’s body tensed. “Quit yelling,” she snapped.
The six-hour road trip had been relatively uneventful. Felix and Darcy had argued until Selvig demanded silence for the remainder of the drive. Five hours and fifty-seven minutes later, they’d reached their destination: Lil’ Odessa, Texas. The welcome sign read JUST LIKE ODESSA BUT LIL’.
The town’s shopping district was once a bustling center of commerce—a nice respite for travelers on their way to somewhere more important. That was a long time ago. As years passed, almost all the once-prosperous businesses closed. Main Street was now littered with empty storefronts, such as Video Gulch, Illusia’s Hair Salon, and Tank Top City, that were covered in graffiti. The only retail outlet that remained was the enigmatic Dollar Holler.
Felix poked his head into the front seat. “Seriously? Are there any people here, or did they all evaporate?”
“Pull over,” Selvig said. Darcy swung into a parking spot and exhaled. Dollar Holler’s floor-to-ceiling windows were covered in large, brightly colored fluorescent orange posters. Each one advertised incredible deals.
OFF-BRAND WONDERS! AVERAGE CONTRAPTIONS! DISCOUNT MILK! YOU’LL NEVER BELIEVE THE PRICES!
Darcy eyed the posters suspiciously. “I’ll never believe the prices? Please. The place is called Dollar Holler,” she said, rolling up her window.
Selvig put on a pair of dark sunglasses with silver mirrored frames. “Follow my lead,” he said. “And play it cool.” He threw open the car door and stuck his legs out to stretch.
“Wait a second,” said Darcy. “What are we doing here, exactly?”
Selvig huffed, puffed, and shifted in his seat. “You need to trust me,” he grumbled. “I know what I’m doing.”
“I just drove six hours to a junk shop in a ghost town,” Darcy countered. “You want me to trust you? Give me an explanation as to why we’re here.”
For a brief, shining moment, it seemed as if Selvig were ready to provide a response.
“I gotta pee,” Felix interrupted.
Selvig launched out of the car, slamming the door behind him and marching up to the storefront.
“Thanks a lot,” Darcy said, rolling her eyes. “I had him right where I wanted him.”
“I’m gonna pee my pants,” Felix pleaded. “I’ve been holding it for three hours.”
Darcy pressed a button, power-locking the doors. “Wanna try for four?” She chuckled.
“Okay, laugh!” Felix cried. “See what happens next.”
“Baby should’ve worn a diaper,” Darcy said. She unlocked the doors and exited the car. Felix followed behind, doing his best to keep it together. Selvig was creeping around the building, craning his head above the lengthy posters to get a look inside.
“A clever masquerade,” Selvig muttered, eyeing the sign marked OPEN. He rushed to the front door, threw it open, and dashed inside. “Aha!” he shouted. The poor woman at the cash register was startled and confused. “You think I don’t know what’s going on here, but I do.”
“May I help you, sir?” the woman asked, smile beaming. She was a tiny thing in a billowy pink blouse. Blonde curls erupted from her head and fell over her shoulder pads. Thin reading glasses, decorated with colorful rhinestones, hung around her neck by a chain.
Selvig eyed her name tag. “Perhaps you can enlighten me, Zelda. I’m looking for Alpha Tango 718.”
“I’m sorry, hon. Is that motor oil?” Zelda leaned over the counter, glancing out across the store’s numerous aisles. “Check next to the barrel of dream catchers, near the mayonnaise guns. We should have some in stock.”
Selvig wasn’t buying it. “You’re very good,” he said, pointing his finger in Zelda’s direction. “She taught you very well, indeed.”
Darcy stepped in to diffuse the situation. “Pardon me, ma’am, but he’s going through a lot right now. You know how grandpas can be.”
“She’s lying. I’m childless,” Selvig declared. “Childless!”
Darcy elbowed Selvig in his side. “He gets confused. A lot. What can I say? Mercury must be in retrograde,” Darcy said with a confused shrug.
“I don’t know what that means,” declared Zelda.
“Me neither!” Darcy replied. “We’ll try and stay out of your hair.”
Felix had been waiting patiently to use the bathroom and was nearing his breaking point. Selvig motioned for him to come closer. “Felix, this may look like an ordinary bauble-filled shopping facility, but it’s much more than that,” he whispered, slinking down one of the aisles like the world’s most obvious spy. “Keep watch for me.”
“Your friend is on a mission, huh?” Zelda said. “What’s he looking for again?”
“Oh, you know, deals.” Darcy sighed. “You wouldn’t happen to have a spare Tesseract around here, would you?”
“I’m afraid we don’t stock Tezza-Rats,” Zelda said. “Sorry ’bout that.”
A variety of sharp aromas filled Darcy’s nostrils. “Lots of potpourri in here, huh? I’m getting lavender, strawberry, and… bacon?”
“We have the second widest selection in the county,” Zelda grinned.
“I need to pee!” Felix howled, desperately holding himself together.
“Oh, hon, bathrooms are for paying customers only,” Zelda said, nodding toward the security camera in the corner. “Rules are rules, and I don’t want to get in any trouble.” Her eyes widened strangely as if she were being held hostage.
“They’re watching us, eh?” Selvig said, poking his head out from behind a display.
Darcy reached into a nearby bin of trinkets and pulled out a heart-shaped key chain. “How much?” she asked, tossing it onto the counter. “I’ll be the paying customer.”
“One dollar,” Zelda announced proudly.
Darcy handed Zelda a dollar bill as Felix raced away to take care of business. “Thank you!” he squealed, sprinting toward the bathroom.
“That’s so sweet,” Zelda said, placing Darcy’s key chain in a small plastic bag. “I’ve got a son, too. I’d do anything if he needed to use the bathroom.”
“Oh. Um. Gross?” Darcy mumbled. “Also—he’s not my son.”
“She’s childless,” Selvig shouted from the other side of the store. “We’re all childless!”
“Pipe down, Grandpappy,” Darcy yelled through gritted teeth. “Zelda, let’s get real for a sec. What’s up with this place?”
The bewildered look on Zelda’s face indicated that she didn’t understand the question.
“My grandpa seems to think your store isn’t just a store,” Darcy explained.
“He’s right,” Zelda chirped. “The Dollar Holler is a complete savings experience!”
Darcy pressed harder. “Are you sure you don’t know him? Because we’re on a mission to find some old friends of his, and he seems convinced this is a place we’re supposed to be.”
Felix exited the bathroom, relieved. “I can live again!” he declared.
Selvig marched up to the counter with a crumpled-up ten-dollar bill in his hand and tossed it in Zelda’s face. She whipped her hand up, catching the bill with ease and precision.
“My turn,” Selvig said, sauntering toward the bathroom.
Zelda’s sweet demeanor shifted. She wasn’t going to let Selvig out of her sight.
“Nice reflexes, Zel,” Darcy complimented.
“I play softball,” replied Zelda. “And I practice judo on the weekends.” Her eyes followed Selvig. “Now that I
think about it, he does look darn familiar.”
“He’s got one of those faces,” said Darcy. “Sometimes you just want to smack him.”
Felix jumped in. “Doctor Erik Selvig is one of the top astrophysicists on the planet. The dude worked for NASA and S.H.I.E.L.D. He knows the Avengers. Ask him about wormholes. I dare you.”
A light bulb went on in Zelda’s head. “Oh! Oh, oh, oh!” she exclaimed. “He’s the smarty-pants who lost his marbles and ran around in the buff on TV! That clip of him at Stonehenge always makes me and my hubby laugh.”
“We like to call him smarty-no-pants,” Darcy said. She rummaged through the bin of key chains to pass the time.
“I’d love to get his autograph for my niece. She’s a big fan of the Avengers, especially after everything that’s happened. You know, some people think the Avengers were involved in that whole”—Zelda leaned in close as if to share a secret—“people turning to dust thing. Not me, though. I think they’re heroes. That Scarlet Witch? Oh my goodness, I hope she’s okay. My niece just thinks she’s magical.”
Darcy spied a key chain shaped like a test tube and snatched it out of the bin. “I don’t believe in magic,” she said.
“There’s this other Super Hero. Insect Lady? Or, maybe, she’s a type of spider person? Saw her on the news one time. Redhead. I can’t remember her name. My niece is into her, too. There are so many Super Heroes these days I just can’t keep up.” Zelda shook her head in disbelief. “Black Widow! That’s it. Do you know Black Widow?”
Darcy dangled the key chain on the end of her finger. “Depends. You got nine more of these little guys?”
Zelda reached under the counter, grabbed a box full of test tube key chains, and placed it in front of Darcy. “Will this do?”
Darcy looked over each shoulder as if she were about to reveal the deepest, darkest secret she’d ever heard. “Black Widow?” she whispered. “Is my best friend in the entire world.”
Zelda gasped, clutching the place on her neck where refined women wore pearls. She couldn’t believe her luck. Before she had a chance to ask a question, Felix did. “You ever hear of Hank Pym? He’s a famous scientist like Doctor Selvig. You probably didn’t know that.”
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