The atmosphere inside the plane was tense, the constant hum of machinery and the occasional beep of monitors adding to the unease. Skye sat at the computer, her eyes fixed on the screen as she tracked their next target. Michael Collins was still out there, and they needed to find him before things got worse. Su Zhan, however, wasn't entirely focused on the mission. The unpredictability of their situation weighed on him. The Extremis virus had already proven to be unstable, and now it was up to him to stop someone else from becoming a ticking time bomb.
"Got a lead," Skye said, her voice cutting through the silence. She pulled up a map with a set of coordinates. "He's holed up in a warehouse on the edge of town. His signal's weak, but it's definitely him. We need to move fast."
Su Zhan glanced at the map, his brow furrowed. "We need to make sure we're ready for anything. If he's been hiding for this long, he won't go down easy."
Skye shot him a look. "You've handled worse, right?"
"I've handled dangerous, not unstable," Su Zhan replied. "Collins is on a timer. If he blows, there's no coming back from it."
Skye nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I just don't want anyone else to get hurt because we waited too long."
The plane descended towards the warehouse location, the small rumble of the engines vibrating through the cabin. Su Zhan remained silent, his mind racing. He wasn't just going to help Collins—he was going to stop him. The fire inside him swelled at the thought of someone else having the kind of power that he had struggled to control.
The Confrontation
When the team landed near the warehouse, the air was thick with tension. Su Zhan led the way, his steps deliberate and confident. They approached the darkened building carefully, but he could already feel it—the pulse of energy radiating from inside. Collins was here.
The door creaked as Coulson, Skye, and Su Zhan entered the warehouse. The moment they stepped inside, the temperature seemed to shift. Su Zhan ignited a small flame in his hand, casting a dim light on the surroundings. Shadows shifted as they moved deeper into the room, until—
"There!" Skye whispered.
In the far corner of the warehouse, Michael Collins stood, his body twitching with barely contained power. His veins were black and pulsing, the Extremis virus visibly coursing through his system. His eyes locked onto Su Zhan's, filled with panic and fear.
"Please," Collins gasped. "Help me... I can't control it. I can feel it inside me."
Su Zhan stepped forward cautiously. "We're here to help. You don't have to keep running."
"I don't have control anymore!" Collins screamed, his body trembling. "It's going to explode! It's too much!"
Su Zhan's flames flared as he stepped back, realizing that they didn't have much time. The heat was already intensifying, and Collins was losing control.
"Skye, get back," Su Zhan ordered, his voice steady.
But it was too late. The power inside Collins erupted, sending shockwaves through the warehouse. The force of the explosion knocked them off their feet. Su Zhan quickly regained his balance, and his flames flared to life, enveloping his hands in fire. He had to stop Collins—before he became a threat to everyone around them.
"Stay down, Michael!" Su Zhan shouted, trying to reach Collins. But the man's body was now crackling with uncontrollable energy. Su Zhan knew that if he didn't act fast, they would all be caught in the blast.
With a swift motion, Su Zhan unleashed a wave of fire that engulfed Collins. The heat was almost unbearable, but Su Zhan focused, controlling the flames. He couldn't let it escalate beyond this point.
Collins screamed as the flames consumed him, his body writhing in agony. For a moment, it seemed as though the fire would be too much. But then, just as suddenly as it started, the energy inside Collins dissipated, leaving him slumped on the ground.
Su Zhan stepped back, his flames flickering out. He was panting, his body still buzzing with the residual heat. He looked down at Collins, checking for signs of life.
"He's alive," Su Zhan said, his voice steady but tinged with relief. "But just barely."
Skye rushed over to check on Collins, her face full of concern. "What now?"
"We take him back to the plane," Su Zhan said. "We need to stabilize him and figure out how to stop this before anyone else falls victim to it."
Coulson stepped forward, his expression serious. "We can't afford to let the Extremis virus spread any further. We need to find out who's behind this and put a stop to it."
Su Zhan nodded, his mind already racing ahead to the next steps. The mission wasn't over—not by a long shot.