[ Some Island in Costa Rica ]
Everyone could see it—the insect army was terrifying. Giant bugs everywhere, and not the cute Pixar kind. At this point, it was useless to point fingers at Nick Fury and call him names. Though let's be honest, Daisy really wanted to yell, "This is all your fault, you one-eyed pirate!"
Black Widow was already regretting signing up for this mission. She couldn't exactly go back to HQ and tell them she got scared off by a jacked-up caterpillar. That'd be on the S.H.I.E.L.D. newsletter by lunch.
She turned to Daisy. "Any sign of a back door? A secret tunnel? Something not guarded by nightmare fuel with legs?"
Daisy tapped her tablet, brows furrowed. "Not really. They've got a helipad up top for visitors—real VIP treatment. Locals? They rub themselves with pheromones like it's bug cologne."
Maria looked like she'd rather fight ten Hydra agents than one more slimy, oversized creepy-crawly. "Ugh. Just imagining that makes me want to bathe in bleach."
Gunfire would blow their cover, and silently sneaking past Bugzilla and his friends wasn't happening. Maria, tactical wizard that she was, quickly laid out the plan: "Two teams. One draws the bugs. The other finds Pym."
Black Widow nodded. "Same split as yesterday. Daisy, you've got the boom-boom toys, so you and Maria pull the attention. Sharon and I will slip in."
Maria passed out antidotes like party favors. "One shot won't cure all poisons, but it'll keep your heart beating."
They shared a glance—Maria and Daisy. It was quick, awkward, but a moment lingered. Maybe it was nerves. Maybe it was the fact Daisy's shirt was just a little too snug. Either way, something flickered.
The moment broke as Maria gestured. Time to dance.
Daisy kicked it off with the Rhino revolver. BANG! The echo shook the trees—but the bullet missed its mark, grazing a spider's face. The wasps didn't take it well. One swooped down, only to catch a bullet to the leg. Slowed, but still mad.
"Seriously?!" Daisy cursed. Two bullets down, no kills. That revolver was supposed to scream badass, not beginner's luck.
The bugs, now thoroughly ticked off, homed in. A centipede the size of a subway car came tearing through, mowing down trees like tissue paper. Its acid-dripping legs hissed through the underbrush.
Daisy ran. Not bravely—just logically. No time for pride when you're being hunted by a chemical death millipede.
She vaulted a haystack trap. The centipede, less graceful, faceplanted into two buried grenades.
KABOOM.
Carnage.
Still, the monster twitched.
Maria popped out like a jack-in-the-box, unloading bullets into its head. Daisy may've cheered a little. "Nice shooting, sharpshooter."
Hill smirked, reloading. "I aim to impress."
Somewhere between adrenaline and chaos, Daisy blushed. But no time to dwell—because flying death had arrived.
A wasp buzzed in for a rematch. Daisy rolled to dodge, barely escaping impalement. "Oh, you wanna dance? Fine!"
She summoned her shockwave power, a pulse of light slicing through the air like a slow-motion sledgehammer. The wasp, caught mid-flap, stuttered—just long enough to be smashed by the force. It hit the ground like a dropped watermelon.
Before she could celebrate, a spider made of horror lunged.
"Not today!" she yelled, throwing a blind shot over her shoulder as she whipped around.
It missed, but startled the spider, which leapt—eight hairy legs of nope.
Daisy steadied herself, dual-gripping the revolver, firing two perfect shots into its gut. The spider hissed and sprayed web like a caffeinated 3D printer.
Mid-air, Daisy ditched her pistol, clenched her fist, and shattered the air itself. A sound like glass breaking rang out as she punched reality hard enough to make physics file a complaint.
The web disintegrated.
The spider, not a fan of her tricks, lost two legs and its balance. One more bullet to the belly, and it collapsed.
Daisy flopped to the ground, panting. "Ow… dammit… that trick's cool, but I need an ice pack and a nap."
She massaged her aching arm, muttering something about needing more protein shakes.
A minute later, she stood, reloaded the revolver, and casually executed the twitching spider.
Then she jogged off toward Hill's position, silently hoping she'd notice the effort. Maybe offer to rub her arm later. Strictly medical.
To be continued...
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[ POWER STONES AND REVIEWS PLS ]