The grounds of the Avengers mansion; well-groomed grass with
hedge bushes clipped and decorated to give the green lot an open garden feel. A
fountain with a silver etched “A” cascaded water down its surface over marble
tiles. High above birds chirped as they flew over the property, the skies a
lovely blue with not a cloud in the sky…
Until a sudden blast destroyed the heart of the gardens and
made a crater the size of a punch buggy where the fountain once stood. Alarms
went off everywhere as automated security popped out of key locations around
the grounds. Leaping out of the double doors leading out the Avengers stood
ready for the attack, whatever attack that shook their shared HQ.
“Alright you, show yourself!” With his shield up and eyes
focused the super soldier Captain America looked over the lot as Iron Man flew
above with repulsers at the ready. She Hulk and Black Widow stood ready to
fight as Miss Marvel hovered over the crater with her fists a glow. “False
alarm guys… Looks like it’s just a rock.”
Lowering their guard the five circled around the object that
had slammed into their back yard, the grass around the crater still smoking as
the baseball sized rock in the middle glowed a yellow aura from within.
Two hours later…
“So it’s just a rock?” Wondered Miss Marvel as she looked
down at the glowing yellow stone on the lab table, the others standing around
it as Tony Stark looked over its elemental structure with the Jarvis computer.
“Well a rock in the sense that it’s giving off an
unidentified radiation that’s about as strong as the sun!” Everyone went on
edge before Jen pointed out the obvious. “But not lethal… Right?”
“Well we’re not dead right now, and I’m not feeling any
symptoms of nausea, vomiting, blistered skin or a tanning mole so no.”
Scratching his head now that his helmet mask was pulled away
Cap stared at the glowing stone, the thing small enough to be a coffee table
ornament as it gave off its soft glow. “Makes you wonder what part of Mars it’s
from huh.”
“Always Mars with you 1940s guys isn’t it, this pebble isn’t
from Mars Cap… Actually I don’t know WHERE it’s from, the computer can’t peg
its make up.”
“Hey guys look!” Staring at the stone as Black Widow pointed
it out the yellow glow began to fade, becoming dimmer within the moment until
it went cold and dead. Nothing more than a grey rock.
“Huh… Must have had a half-life, well if anything the
radiation it’s putting out has stopped now.”
Stretching out her arms She-Hulk yawned, turning to leave
the lab. “Well if it’s nothing I need to worry about I’m going to take a nap.”
Looking to each other the others decided to leave as well.
“I’m going to take a jog, the weather’s too nice to ignore.”
“I think I’ll watch some television… Maybe watch a game.”
“I’ll stay here, I smell another patent to write out with
this baby on the table!”
Leaving their separate ways the five continued on as if
nothing had happened, oblivious to what dangers the yellow glowing stone may
have brought with it.