MARVEL's Avengers: Infinity War: The Cosmic Quest, Volume 2

by Brandon T. Snider

  Selvig stared at the blank screen, unblinking. Seeing Jane’s face and hearing her thoughts stirred something deep within him. The faith he’d lost in the past few months was slowly returning. He felt energized and alive.

  “You ever run tests on Mjolnir?” Felix asked. “With the right materials, I bet I could build a reasonable facsimile of that thing in less than a month. Wanna put money on it?”

  “It’s not possible, I’m afraid,” Selvig said. “Though reliving those events through Jane’s eyes was fruitful for my process, those particular recollections were not what I was looking for.” He brought up the menu and clicked on the next video. “This should illuminate things.”

  Jane looked to be in a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility. She was silent, staring off into the distance. “This is Doctor Jane Foster. Again. Time to talk about the Aether.”

  Selvig had been patiently waiting to hear Jane’s recollections about the Aether. She’d spoken to him about it before, but in a more clinical capacity. Selvig hoped that Jane’s personal retrospective might yield new information that could aid in the quest.

  “Brace yourself, Felix. The Aether is a violent force of nature with no mercy. You may be unsettled by some of these revelations,” Selvig warned. “You’re about to learn the secrets of the universe, young man. Don’t be afraid.”

  Felix scoffed. “Do I look afraid to you, dude?” Selvig shot him a look. “I’m shutting up now.”

  Jane exhaled slowly. “Imagine Erik Selvig, completely naked, on every international news channel, running around Stonehenge,” she said. “How’s that for a start?”

  Selvig scrambled for the tablet. “We need not get into this,” he said, fast-forwarding the video. “Let me just… see… what… we… have… here. This should do it.”

  Felix pinched the skin on his arm. It stopped him from cracking up.

  “I’m getting personal. There’s no other way to say it. My work and my romantic life happened to overlap. That doesn’t mean I can’t maintain my professional objectivity. The Einstein-Rosen bridge discovery opened a million doors. I’d begun sharing my work with S.H.I.E.L.D., and they, in turn, helped me try to initiate a portal from Earth to Asgard. Didn’t exactly work out. Meanwhile, I didn’t know if Thor was even alive. He promised me he’d return and then… nothing.” Jane appeared uneasy recalling the memory. “Next thing I knew, Erik Selvig gets kidnapped and telepathically controlled by Loki. Darcy and I are being whisked to Tromsø by S.H.I.E.L.D. for ‘our protection.’ No details, no information, nothing. New York was being attacked by aliens, and our handlers expected us to just go with the flow as if it were no big deal, but it was a big deal. The Avengers saved the planet. When it was over, I assumed Thor might stick around for, I don’t know… He went back to Asgard without any notice….”

  “Harsh. To get ghosted by a god? That’s rough,” Felix said. “When does this Aether thing come into play?”

  “Give it time,” assured Selvig.

  Jane was resolute. “I moved on,” she said firmly. “My work was the most important thing. That’s what kept me grounded in the real world. I was grateful when Erik invited me to London to investigate a series of gravitational anomalies that had cropped up. He’d been through a lot, and I wanted to be there to support him. Darcy, too. The gang was back together! Except Erik disappeared before I got there.”

  “You ghosted her, too? Dang,” said Felix. “That’s pretty savage, Doc.”

  Selvig pressed PAUSE. “I wasn’t in my right mind,” he said, flustered. “Loki’s Scepter possessed me completely. I was trapped inside my own brain. It was hellish. Loki used my gifts in an effort to destroy the planet. You can’t possibly understand what that was like!”

  Felix squirmed in his seat. “You’re right. I don’t. Sorry for making a dumb joke, Doctor Selvig. I didn’t mean to set you off like that.”

  “I—I—” Selvig stumbled. He was embarrassed by the raw burst of emotion. “I don’t mean to get so upset. My old wounds often feel fresh. I’m learning that the healing process can take a very long time. The struggle, as they say, is real.” He paced around the room. “I’d been put into a mental health facility. That’s where I disappeared to, as Jane said. Darcy and Ian rescued me from that experience and returned me to my work. It was exactly what I needed.”

  “Ian?! Hold up. He’s the lame dude who works here,” Felix revealed. “Darcy’s talking to him right now.”

  Selvig hadn’t realized Ian was the ex-boyfriend Felix referenced earlier. “Hmmm. Let’s not worry about that. It’s time we continued on our path. The Aether awaits.” He pressed PLAY and sat back down.

  “We were on the verge of an incredible breakthrough. My Phase Meter had picked up on some curious emissions. Darcy, her intern, Ian, and I followed the trail to an abandoned warehouse in London and were confronted with a series of strange phenomena. Small wormholes had opened, seemingly out of nowhere. Laws of physics were breaking down. Gravity was shifting. All in a controlled environment. My Phase Meter went insane. I hadn’t seen readings like that since New Mexico. I’m always willing to go the distance for scientific truth, but I had no idea that I’d come face-to-face with one of the most destructive forces in the universe.”

  “Now we’re talkin’” Felix said, his eyes wide with anticipation.

  “One of the wormholes transported me to what I’d describe as a dark netherworld. It was… absolutely frightening.” Jane took her time. “To be alone in a strange place, no way of knowing where you are or how to get home… I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. After some panic, I came upon a vault that contained this… presence. A swirling red vapor that screamed at me. Like a demon. When I got too close, it attacked me like an infection. I couldn’t get it off my skin. Next thing I knew, I was back on Earth. Darcy had called the police while I was gone. At the time I was mad about it. It’s not every day you find a stable gravitational anomaly you can study without S.H.I.E.L.D. swooping in and interfering. Oh, and Thor showed up. Of course he did. But anyway, when the police tried to take me into custody, the red netherworld infection just exploded out of my body.” Jane shook her head as if she couldn’t believe her own story. “And that was just the beginning.”

  Selvig had worked himself into a frenzy. “Pay close attention, Felix,” he said. “At the end of this chronicle, we’ll discuss.”

  “Earthly medicine wasn’t going to do the trick, so Thor took me to Asgard. I got to go on the Bifrost. Yes, I should be calling it an Einstein-Rosen bridge. I know.” Jane became giddy with excitement. “But this thing was exhilarating and unbelievable. I can be a scientist and still be impressed by majesty.”

  “She’s perking up.” Selvig grinned. “Sadly, it won’t last.”

  “Asgard’s doctors scanned me with a device they called a Soul Forge. It was really just a Quantum Field Generator, but ‘Soul Forge’ has a fun ring to it, doesn’t it? Anyway, Odin told me I wasn’t welcome in Asgard. I was just a dirty human. When his guards tried to grab me, the red infection attacked them. Seeing that changed Odin’s opinion of me and my affliction. He knew its name—the Aether. Odin described it as an engine of infinite destruction. An ever-changing fluid that sought out host bodies and devoured their souls. I’d come to find out later it was one of six unique cosmic forces. Regardless, no one knew how to get it out of my body.”

  “Six cosmic forces.” Selvig gasped. “I don’t believe I ever knew that….”

  “Odin told me that, in ancient times, the leader of the Dark Elves, Malekith, used the Aether to reign supreme. It was his ultimate weapon against King Bor and the forces of Asgard. In the heat of battle, as the Nine Realms converged, Malekith sought to unleash the Aether’s full potential but was stopped by the Asgardians. They defeated him, or so they thought. Actually, Malekith went into hibernation while the Asgardians buried the Aether in a place they believed would never be found.” Jane’s lips formed a half smile. “Lucky me. When the Aether reawakened, so did Malekith and the Dark Elves. Perfect tim
ing with the Convergence just around the corner…”

  Selvig’s eyes lit up. He quickly paused the video. “Felix, take note. There are nine realms in the cosmos—Asgard, Jotunheim, Svartalfheim, Vanaheim, Nidavellir, Niflheim, Muspelheim, Alfheim, and Midgard, otherwise known as Earth. Every five thousand years the realms align themselves, causing all sorts of disastrous phenomena. Gravity swells! The crashing together of light and dark matter!”

  “Sounds crazy,” Felix said, quizzically rubbing his chin. “But, theoretically, wouldn’t you be able to pinpoint an epicenter and find a way to stabilize all that activity?”

  “Perceptive!” exclaimed Selvig. “Precisely why I created a set of Gravimetric Spikes to do just that. Stay tuned.” He pressed PLAY.

  “Malekith came for the Aether. He attacked Asgard and killed Thor’s mother, Frigga, during the invasion. I saw my first—and hopefully last—Asgardian funeral. People traveled from the far reaches of the cosmos to pay their respects. It was so moving, so powerful, so…” She trailed off. “It was a celebration of Frigga’s unstoppable spirit.”

  Selvig smiled. “Frigga,” he whispered. “Like a fairy tale.”

  It was clear that Jane had become tired of telling this story. She pushed through as best she could. “So! Malekith didn’t get the Aether. Cheers to little victories. I, however, was still stuck on Asgard, stricken with sickness. The Aether took control of my senses and appeared to me as a chaotic mass of churning thunder. It was intoxicating. And terrifying. I felt its power in every part of myself—body, mind, and soul. It was killing me.”

  A pit had grown inside Selvig’s stomach. “Jane and I have been colleagues for many years. Before that, her father and I taught at Culver together for decades. I made a vow to myself that after he passed, I’d always support her. Sometimes I can’t help but feel as if I’ve—” Selvig stopped himself before finishing the sentence. He was afraid that speaking the words would make them true.

  “I’ve followed Doctor Foster’s career for a long time. Ever since I was, like, six. How did I never know she went through all this mess?” he asked, shaking his head. “This is crazy.”

  Jane had reached her breaking point. “Okay, look, I understand that this chronicle needs to be complete, but I’ll be honest, I’m exhausted. Here are the broad strokes—Thor, Loki, and I escaped Asgard together to confront Malekith. I can still see Loki’s smirk. He wanted the Aether’s power so bad. As if he’d even be able to handle it. We ended up on Svartalfheim, and, after a whole bunch of trickery, Malekith sucked the Aether from my body and absorbed it into his. The sickness was gone. My life was saved. I wish I could say that was the end. But it’s not. Not by a long shot. The Convergence was happening. Malekith was heading to Earth while Thor and I were stuck in a cave in Svartalfheim. We discovered a portal and got out of there as quickly as possible. Time was running out. Malekith was going to fire the Aether where all nine worlds were aligned. The fallout would have been catastrophic if not for one thing: science!” She thought for a moment and changed her posture. “Actually, two things: science and Erik Selvig.”

  Felix pumped his fist in the air. “Legend status: unlocked.”

  “Erik pinpointed Greenwich, England, as the epicenter of the Convergence, so that’s where we headed. Without his invaluable work on Gravimetric anomalies as well as his Gravimetric Spikes, I don’t know what we would’ve done. The walls between worlds were breaking down. Gravity was increasing and decreasing at a rapid rate. The laws of physics had gone bonkers. Don’t get me started on the spatial extrusions. Reality was being ripped to shreds and then came Erik Selvig, ready to save it. Darcy was there, too. And Ian. I forgot about him for a second. There was also this giant creature called a Jotunheim beast that came through a portal.” She caught herself getting distracted. “Focus, Foster.”

  “A Jotunheim beast!” exclaimed Felix. “I’m bookmarking that one.”

  “Malekith arrived and we set up the Gravimetric Spikes in formation. They’d been designed to detect anomalies, but, after a few tweaks, we used them to increase the gravitational forces, exploiting the fragile spots between universes and thusly causing anomalies that transported the Dark Elves… let’s just say, elsewhere. Thor beat Malekith and took the Aether back to Asgard where it was locked up for safekeeping.” Jane’s expression turned grave. “But the Aether changed me. Physically. It invaded my corporeal form. My essence. My soul. I need to take some time away to heal, but there’s one final thing… something I need to get off my chest…” Jane hesitated. “Gonna save that for next time.”

  The video ended, and Selvig’s mouth fell open. “What the devil? No cliffhangers! Jane said the Aether was one of six cosmic forces. We’ve yet to hear about the other five. One would assume that information is contained in an additional video. But Anjelica said there were only two here!” He grabbed the tablet and furiously pressed its buttons.

  “No. Don’t do that, Doc. You look desperate,” Felix warned. He swiped the tablet out of Selvig’s grip and began pressing its buttons at lightning speed. “Taught myself how to hack when I was wearin’ diapers.” With a final keystroke, he’d accessed encrypted data and handed it back to Selvig. “You’re welcome.” Another video soon began to play.

  Jane’s face appeared looking rested and healthy. “Hello again. This will be my last diary entry before I hand over my material to Anjelica Tan. I need a few things on the record. About Thor.”

  “Uh-oh.” Felix gulped. “Man, now this feels wrong.”

  “I’m proud of what we had. We did the best we could with the hand we were dealt. Did I expect us to be able to go out to a restaurant and hit the club on a Saturday night? Of course not. I didn’t even want that. The truth is, Thor and I had different paths and different expectations. We cared a lot about each other but—” Jane stopped herself. “We were meant for other things. That’s as plain as I can put it.”

  She paused again.

  “There’s something else that’s been on my mind. A matter I haven’t fully investigated. During my time on Asgard, I browsed through Odin’s library and found a book about a set of powerful items that, if wielded together, could control the universe. I assumed it was a story, but I’ve since become convinced that we are all in great danger…”

  The door to the viewing room swung open. Anjelica Tan wasn’t pleased.

  “WHAT. DID. I. SAY?!” she shouted.

  Selvig scrambled to cover. “Anjelica, the archive was incomplete! You must understand,” he pleaded. “The archive was incomplete.”

  Tan yanked the flash drive out of its socket and took back the tablet. “It’s time for you to go, Erik,” she said, staring at Selvig with disappointment in her eyes.

  “Miss Tan?” Felix said sheepishly.

  “Doctor Tan…”

  Felix nodded dutifully, embarrassed by his slip of the tongue. “Doctor Tan, I’m sure you know how it is when you’re so focused on results that you’ll do anything to prove your point—even if it means engaging in decryption.”

  Tan raised her palm. She’d heard enough. “Save the smooth talk, kid. I was sure the code was solid. The fact that you hacked it is quite impressive, but it also gets under my skin.” Tan turned her attention to Selvig. “Erik, I know you’ve been through a lot, and it hasn’t been easy for your mind to heal. Take a step back, my friend. Get some clarity. You need it.”

  “I appreciate your support, Anjelica,” Selvig said. “Thank you for aiding in my research. I apologize for abusing your trust.”

  Tan smirked. “It’s not the first time. Learn a lesson for once, would you? But, yeah, you need to go now.” She escorted Felix and Selvig to the exit, talking as they walked. “Where you headed next?”

  Selvig squinted and squirmed. He was reluctant to reveal the exact destination.

  “Oh fine! Keep your mouth shut,” Tan said. “I guess I won’t tell you who’s planning a big thing that you’ll definitely want to know about.”

  “What does that mean?!” Sel
vig asked.

  “What do you think it means?!” Tan shot back.

  Selvig wanted to know, so he revealed where they’d be headed. “Anoki,” he blurted out.

  “Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” Tan cackled. “Good luck with that one.”

  “Who’s Anoki?” Felix asked.

  The trio had arrived at the front of the facility, where Darcy and Ian had been waiting patiently. Darcy poked Felix in the chest. “Thanks for abandoning me,” she said.

  Felix rolled his eyes. “Thanks for involving me in your boyfriend drama,” he said.

  “He’s not my—” Darcy was done with the conversation. “There’s no drama, okay.”

  Meanwhile, Selvig wasn’t about to let Tan off the hook. “Out with it, Anjelica,” he demanded.

  “Your old friend Ignatius Bixby is throwing a party of some kind. I got a ‘save the date,’” Tan declared.

  Ignatius Bixby. The name made Selvig’s blood boil. “That man is not my friend! He is a fraud!”

  Tan leaned into Felix’s ear. “They’ve got beef,” she whispered. “You know, with science.”

  “Ignatius Bixby? Iggy Bixby?! The infomercial guy!” Darcy exclaimed. “My mom loves him.”

  “He’s a patent snatcher. Takes someone else’s great idea, cheapens it, and then makes a gazillion dollars,” Tan explained. “He’s done it with robots, vaccines, kitchen appliances, you name it. Apparently, he’s gathering the scientific community together for some announcement. I don’t know anyone who’s going, but you might want to check it out.”

  Selvig pretended to spit. “Never,” he said.

  “Suit yourself,” Tan said. “Keep in touch and all that. You know where to find me.” She suddenly remembered something. Tan ran over to her desk and flung open a drawer. After a few seconds of rummaging, she stopped, shaking her head with dismay. “I wanted to give Felix a tiny piece of Arnim Zola’s burned-out circuitry as a little souvenir but, truthfully, I forgot where I put it. Oh well.” Tan shrugged. “There’s a diner a few blocks away. Go get yourselves something to eat before you take off. If you’re heading to Anoki’s, you’ll need some energy for the climb.”