Chapter Two: Black as Night

[The Mighty Thor]

From the portal the heroes stepped, newly christened as The Watch. Acting on instinct alone, they did exactly as they were told. They took in their surroundings, observing as many details as they could. On the surface they appeared to be in a well manicured, fully blooming forest. But they only had to look slightly beyond the trees to see the larger picture. Very quickly most of the group realized where they truly were. Large buildings could be seen towering over the trees, most of which were recognizable enough to tell the group that they were in New York City. To be precise, they were in Central Park. And judging by the reflections on the glass and steel monoliths that towered just beyond the trees, and the ever growing shadows cast by the growth all around them, they knew that they had an hour of sunlight remaining at best.

[Enchantress]

Victoria nearly jumped out of her skin when she realized exactly where they were. Central Park... which ment they were in New York, no telling what reality...no telling who they'd run in to.
Taking a deep breath, she looked up at the sky and gauged the amount of time they'd have until the sun would set.
"Ok, we've got two choices, stay here until its dark enough to move around in an unobtrusive way, or move out and let me try to keep everyone blocked and off the weirdo radar. Choice is yours."
She was confident she could keep the more 'abnormal' looking people of the group masked as they moved about the city, but as night weaved its way around them, it really wouldn't matter. What happened in New York by night was completely different than what happened in the city by day.
"I wonder..." she pondered aloud, wondering exactly why they were plunked down in Central Park of all places.

[SLVRSR4]

"Personally, I think the best Idea would be to lay low for now. We have no idea what we're dealing with in this reality. If it's anything like my reality, we might get attacked when we become visible to the public." Then again, if we stay here, we might imperil ourselves as well. It seems like a pretty public place, and I'm sure the people wouldn't take kindly to a large green creature, a silver man, and a girl who might become orange rock at any minute. We don't exactly blend. "If we do decide to move on, we should do our best to stay away from anywhere that has large groups of people. It might be harder for Ms. Victoria to mask our appearances from a larger group. Not to mention Dr. Strange said something about this Earth's dwindling supply of heroes. Maybe there is some kind of large threat or evil that has been unleashed on this Earth. I apologize for my lack of experience, but I'll try to help out in any way that I can. Whatever decision we make though, should be made as a team. I hope that sounded hero like. I really don't have any idea what's going on or what I'm doing. I'm really just making it up as I go along. Hope nobody notices and they all just go along with it. What good am I to this team anyway? They all know what they're capable of. All I can do is make my hands glow! WHOOPTY CRAP! "Stand back evil villain, or I'll...I'll...MAKE MY HANDS GLOW AT YOU! That's right. Evil beware! I also see my friend the amazing silver board has made it to this reality. Maybe I could use that to somehow strike fear into the hearts of tyranny. It seems to be loyal. Maybe I can give it commands like sit, beg, roll over, and fetch. With the last thought Norrin had, his board proceeded to do barrel rolls and then sped away as Norrin imagined throwing an invisible stick for it to fetch. Shortly after it came back to him and rested floating next to his ankles where it had just been previously. The Surfer gasped and his jaw went slack as he watched the board spring to life. He had no idea what just happened or HOW it happened.Did I do that?

[Local Hero]

Hank's sensitive nose twitched almost uncontrollably as it was assaulted once more by the scents of a major city. After the sterile environment of the moon, the odours reaching him were almost enough to bring tears to his eyes. Without really thinking about it he squeezed his nostrils closed, blocking most of the smells and allowing himself a chance to become accustomed. As he looked around and began to recognise the team's location, Hank felt his heart lift. New York always had this effect on him. No matter how bad things seemed somehow New York was always so full of life. Hank turned to watch the rest of the team exit the portal, some confused some with a hint of recognition on their faces. Making a count to be sure they hadn't lost anyone else on the path, Hank turned back to look over the park once more, getting his bearings. "If it's anything like my home reality, the Park will be quiet at this time of the evening. Less chance of us scaring the living daylights out of a bunch of the natives." Hank looked over at 'Toria with a grin. "Although maybe another round of skating would have them all on our side again." Hank winked at her and slowly walked the short way out to the edge of the trees they had appeared amongst, activating his image inducer as he did.

His features seemed to melt and reform and once more Henry McCoy PHD was among them, long dark hair drawn back from his face in a loose pony tail. Looking down at his uniform briefly, Hank closed his eyes concentrating on more suitable attire. After a few false starts during which the only change was that it now looked like several small squirrels were battling to exit his jacket, the material grudgingly began to move and stretch as he directed it. Hank grimaced a little as his pants flowed down over his feet, not enjoying the constricted feeling at all after so long barefoot. For several long moments the material remained in two shapless blobs at the end of his legs before suddenly forming into thick soled black leather boots. The pants themselves had by now taken on the appearance of black jeans, and his jacket had stretched down to become a hooded long coat. Opening his eyes, Hank allowed himself a brief smile of triumph. He hadn't tried this trick that often, or this successfully, since receiving the uniform from the Richards' family. Turning back to the team, Hank looked at each of them trying to guage what they were thinking before speaking. "Rintrah intimated that we should not be abroad after nightfall if we could help it. I think we should head out and find this reality's Sorceror Supreme. The Stephen Strange of my own reality had a place down on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village. It's only a short subway ride from the south end of the park, and a troop as bohemian as ours should blend in a little better there than in most places in New York. I'm sure 'Toria can handle masking our more obviously different members long enough for us to get there and check it out."

[Spiderbob]

Peter ended his mental prayers and lifted his head to observe where they had been taken. It didn't take him long to recongize his surroundings. New York. They were in New York. A wave of emotions swept over him, and he remained motionless for a moment to sort them all out. Everything felt so familiar. He could feel the urge to explore the city to its smallest detail, to refreshen his memory of the home he had left behind. He felt the concrete jungle calling him, beckoning him to once again scale its walls, swing from its hightest heights, and experience a feeling that had been lost to him for so long. He felt like he was home. And even though he was being swamped by all these emotions, he revealed none to his teammates.
And yet, some small part seemed off. Some mute, awkward feeling probed at his insides and painfully reminded him that no matter how familiar his surroundings were, he was not home. This was not his New York. Yet, such knowledge caused him to wonder how similiar this New York was to his own. At home he had New York virtually memorized. He knew every building, every park, bridge, sewer entrance and alley. For a brief moment he felt the need to ask to be flown up above the trees and into the sky, so he could get an ariel view of the city, but quickly decided against it. Such action may attract unwanted attention. For now he would wait and bide his time until he could conduct a proper observation.
Turning his attention and his thoughts away from the city and towards his teammates, Peter waited for them to agree upon a course of action. Their time spent on this world promised to be...interesting.

[Nova]

Rogue looked around and recognized the surroundings. How many times had she walked this park? How often had she felt at home here? Taking a deep breath of the City air, it dawned on her that she didn't exactly know what reality this was, nor was she aware of the types of people here. Concentrating all of her energy, she pushed the voices back and looked up to see the silver man playing fetch with his surfboard. She smiled and laughed to herself. The first smile she had remembered in a long time.

[Enchantress]

"So...any special requests?" Victoria cracked her knuckles and smiled at everyone as ideas began forming in her mind of ways to telepathically mask the sore thumbs of the group.
As Hank flicked on the image inducer, her smile faded a bit. True, it was just a hologram, but still...
Granted, it wasn't that he was anything bad to look at one way or another to Victoria. It was more that she had grown comfortable with big green and fuzzy and seeing him otherwise just threw her.
"Ohh I know..." she smirked again as ideas began to formulate. But then, something caught her attention.
The shiny dude with the surfboard. Her concentration broken, she watched them for a moment before speaking to him.
"Neat trick..." was all she said before looking at Hank.
"So, Dr. you suggest we diverge from this locale and make haste to said other Dr.'s abode?"

[Harley]

"Bleecker Street, Greenwhich Village?" Barry looked at the now no longer big and fuzzy beast "I know a good MacDonalds near that." he said while his stomach growled. "I'llmeetyouthere." As Barry started to move at super-speed, his speech became less definable to normal ears.

With those words he sped off towards Greenwich Village, his speed leaving behind a small gust of wind as he ran away.

[SLVRSR4]

I can't believe it. This thing might actually have a purpose to me! Deep down, I knew that there had to be some connection between this board and me. I'm still not sure what happened, but I'm more than a little relieved that it has a significance to it. Maybe it was something I said that made it spring to life. Or, perhaps it has a mind of it's own, and travels it's own path. Whatever the case, I think I should name it. People name there pets, so I think I'll name mine. Let's see...I think I'll call it SPARKY! Yeah, that's it. I just hope that I don't have to clean up after it. Norrin mused at the thought of his newfound companion. A smile crossed his reflective face, and a small tear welled up in his eye. He had felt so introverted and alone, but now it seems there is at least something there to comfort him. Even if it is a companion that cannot speak back to him. He gathered himself and wiped the solitary tear from his eye just in time to see the young speed demon jet away from the group. That young one has a one track mind. He's probably going to get himself into trouble, and one of us is going to have to bail him out of it. "Come on, Sparky, let's go. So, Victoria, what am I going to look like to the rest of the world?"

[Nova]

Rogue looked at the group and started to state an obvious question. "I know that I don't have the most expansive knowledge on my own. But there is a niggling question in the back of mind that the sorcerer supreme isn't necessarily going to be Dr. Strange."

Rogue closed her eyes as Reed Richards' computer of a brain starting spitting input out at her. The word Sorcerer Supreme seemed to bounce back more info than she could handle at once. She brought her hands up to either side of her head and took a deep breath. She willed her mind to clear, and when she opened her eyes everything was back to normal.

"I have a bad feeling about Barry running off like that. Suppose he gets lost or found out?"

Wishing she could take back that last statement, she thought again and quickly changed the subject. "Does anyone know of a good hideout for the night?"

[Spiderbob]

Peter's gaze lazily moved towards Barry as he spoke about a McDonalds. His neutral look towards the young boy quickly turned to one of frustration and anger as he watched the kid rush off to appease his stomach.
"Damn kid is going to get himself killed."
They hadn't been two minutes into their mission and already they were having problems. It was obvious to the masked man that they were going to have to have a little chat with their young speedster.
"Come on, let's go. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can keep the kid from doing something as equally brilliant."
With that last statement Peter headed after the boy, not bothering to hide the sarcasm in his voice, nor his displeasement with the boy's actions. He was more focussed on getting to Barry before he could cause any more trouble and possibly attract unwanted attention.

[Enchantress]

Before Hank had the opportunity to respond to her query, Victoria sighed and watched Barry speed off.
"I could grab him, you know." she said as she crossed her arms over her chest, just letting him go.
"As far as what you'll look like Norrin..well.." She was trying to think of an easy way to explain mind manulipulation. "It's rather like, they see what they want to see. They won't see you in any particular way, it's just they won't see you all shiny and bright either."
"And as far as Dr. Strange goes... we'll just find out when we get there, won't we?" Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she started to walk away from the group. Calling out over her shoulder as she did.
"You guys can stand there and debate it all night. I'm going to keep the kid from getting himself offed."
As the distance between Victoria and the group grew, she only shook her head in amazement. Not only were they standing in New York, but everyone seemed to be back to square one where they always ended up. Standing around talking about what to do instead of chasing after a kid who might get himself killed.
"Maybe he was right after all..." The thought crossed through her mind before she even had the chance to think about it. Then, so did another thought.
She knew her way around the city pretty well. Hell, she had graduated from ESU not more than 2 years ago, so she knew the Village well. A bit of concern began to mar her pale visage as she wondered.
"I wonder if Peter is around here somewhere... hell, we could even be in my reality. But if we're not, could I run into myself?" it was a whispered thought from a scientific mind as it went to work calculating the possibility of being "home."

[Spiderbob]

Peter had been manuvering from tree to tree, making little if any noise as he tried to remain out of sight. It wasn't the fastest way he could move, but it was one of the safest. Webslinging wasn't much good with such low elevation not to mention that it would grab a few questioning looks should anyone spot him in the act. Right now he was wondering on what the quickest course of action would be on getting to Barry. If this world was anything like his, then the sewers would be the safest mode of travel. Unfortunately, it would also be the slowest. Soon he would be out in the city and out of the park. He would have lots of room to use his favorite means of transportation, but he was unsure if he should. He didn't know this world, didn't know its people, and from what they had been told heroes were in short supply. That forced the spider to consider the possibility that heroes were hunted, similiar to his world. If so, then webslinging may draw attention to himself, attention he nor the team would want.
"Speaking of the team..."
Halting his advance towards the young speedster's location, Parker dropped from the branch he was perched on and looked behind him to see if any of the others were coming as well. From what he could tell, one was, and it looked like Victoria.
"Maybe I'll be able to websling afterall."
Using the same method of travel as he had before, Peter made his way back to the female member of the team, soon landing almost directly infront of her.
"Hello Ms. Victoria, glad to see I'm not alone in our search for the young trouble maker."
He paused for a moment before speaking what was on his mind.
"Ms. Victoria, I was wondering, if I take you webslinging through the city after Barry, would you be able to keep us from being seen?"
If so, then they may be able to get to Barry faster than Peter thought.

[Enchantress]

Victoria blushed a little at Spider-Man's question. She hadn't been "Web-slinging" in years.
"Actually, I think I could. You see, I had my life saved a couple of times by the Spider-Man in my reality. My friend Peter said he must have a crush on me or something, because every time I seemed to be in trouble, Spider-Man would come swinging in to help out. Nice guy...great fashion sense." Victoria raised a fingertip to her chin, smiling in a far off way at the thought. Shaking herself out of her revelry, she smiled at him.
"Sure, I'm up for it. We gotta keep Speedy Gonzales from drawing too much attention. I should be able to keep all of us off radar, if not, Tessa can jump in and help out. Wouldn't want the shiny guy back there scaring the natives." She inclined her head towards where she had left the group behind her.
"So, you...me... a darkening New York Skyline... Careful Spider, Hank might get jealous." she snickered just slightly at the thought.

[Tessa]

Tessa watched Victoria walk away in search of Barry, then quickly turned her attention to the remaining group, “I suggest we move as well, the Village is a good place to be, bohemian enough and eclectic enough that if we don’t ‘cause too much of a ruckus we won’t be looked at twice.” She had a faint smile on her face as memories of Greenwich Village surfaced briefly, despite her status in the New York of her reality she loved to go down to the Village and find a nice hideaway of a restaurant to do her work.
“Wouldn’t you agree, Hank?” She enquired of her suggestion to move, looking sidelong at the fuzzy green mutant.

[SLVRSR4]

"What about me, though? I don't exactly fit the everyday description of a...normal person. Without Victoria's mental projections, I stand out like a beacon." Norrin was for the idea of moving along, and trying to locate this Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, but at the same time was apprehensive about assuming that said Sorcerer Supreme was Stephen Strange. Like Rogue had said, he is not necessarily the Sorceror Supreme in every reality. They could be headed for a dead end by assuming that Greenwich Villiage was there destination. Though apprehensive, we should continue on our quest. We will achieve nothing by standing around and waiting for something to happen. Hopefully, Barry hasn't gotten himself into more trouble than Spider and Victoria can get him out of, and with any luck, there might be some clues in this reality that might jar my memory of my origins. "Point me in the direction that we're headed, guys. We should get going before too much longer. Come on, Sparky, let's get moving."

[Nova]

After watching Victora and Spiderman take off, she prayed for everyone's safety. Turning her attention to the rest of the group, she made up her mind. Figuring that moving was better than standing still, Rogue looked at the group and began to take a few steps toward the Village. She had never considered herself a leader, but she knew where she was going and she thought that if she started moving the others might follow. If only I could figure out who the Sorcerer Supreme might be. I have this huge computer brain, but it can't tell me everything.

Walking towards the edge of the park, she turned around to see if the others had decided to follow...

[Spiderbob]

"More likely it's Peter with the crush."
The words escaped the spider's mouth in a tone that was barely audible even to him. The more she spoke of her Peter Parker, the more he became convinced that her Peter was also Spider-Man. He wondered what he was like, her Parker. He'd listen to her describe him, describe the friendship she had with him, but he still had an urge to meet him. He wanted to see, wanted to know how life had turned out for his other versions.
"Maybe I'll find me in this world."
He hoped that he would, but he knew it was a slim hope. Still, it was there. His seemingly neutral attitude changed to a sullen and depressed one as Victoria finished her response. She joked as if web slinging was something personal between the two of them. For him it used to be, but not with her. There used to be someone else, someone he had to share the joy webslinging brought. It used to be romantic, fun, and exhilarating. He could still remember the last time that held true.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Flash Back~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Quick! Natasha! Get up!”
His booming voice carried a sense of urgency and importance, and apparently it was enough of both to wake her. He watched as she went from her sleepy state to one of full alert in one fluent motion.
“What is it?! What’s wrong!?”
It took her only a fraction of a second to spot him clinging to the ceiling of their room. He noticed that she was confused to see him dressed his red and black attire but he interjected before she could question the matter.
“No time to explain! Hurry, get dressed! And put this on!”
He tossed her the small device the size of a wrist watch that he had been holding in his left hand. She caught it with ease. It took her but a glance at the machine to add to her puzzlement.
“A cloaking device?”
“It’s so we won’t be seen and detected on radar,” he explained impatiently. “Now hurry up!”
He was trying his best to rush her along. He had over slept and if he was to pull this off he would have to work fast. In moments she was dressed and ready to go. Without a word he scurried across the ceiling, leading her down the halls and up to the roof of their current resting place. She was having trouble following him due to the speed of which he had been moving, but she caught up to him. Again, before she could ask for clarification on the issue he had wrapped his arm around her waist and took off through the city. Even though he was in a hurry to reach their destination, he couldn’t help showing off to the woman in his arms, performing several flips, tumbles, and spins along the way. Finally, they made it.
“Peter. What’s going on? Why are we all the way up here?”
Though he was trying to keep a serious face, he couldn’t help but crack a smile at her bewilderment. He had taken her to the top of the Empire State Building, a fact that obviously had her baffled.
“You’ll see. Now look, over there.”
He led her gaze towards the morning sky and she strained her eyes to try and locate what it was she was supposed to see.
“I don’t see anything.”
The smile on his face grew uncontrollably and he was thankful that he was wearing a mask. His charade had worked.
“Hold on. Just wait a few more seconds.”
Her eyes narrowed as she tried harder to see what it was he was pointing at. Her frustration grew as she continued to fail in her attempt.
“I still don-“
Her voice came to a halt and her eyes widened as she realized why she had been brought out here. She stood their speechless as she watched the sun creep over the New York skyline, its rays weaving through and over the numerous structures of the city, illuminating them and the morning sky with an array of colors that seemed to dance in her eyes.
“Happy anniversary honey.”
She turned her gaze away from the breathtaking sight, beaming a heart filled smile at him, causing him to return the favor. Slowly, she removed his mask and showed him just how much she liked her gift.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~End of Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~

Sadly for the spider, the experience was never again shared. A week later she was gone and he was forced to alter web slinging from a meaning of joy to a means of escaping his pain and coping with his loss.
It took Peter several moments to realize that he was silently staring at Victoria and had been the entire time he was reminiscing. Feeling a little embarrassed for having done so, Peter shook his head to clear his thoughts and regain his composure. He moved over to the right of Victoria and put his left arm around her waist. He cast his gaze forward, focussing on where it was they needed to go and trying to ignore the small awkward feeling he had inside.
"Hang on."
He gave her a moment to ready herself and then took off. Not wanting to waste any more time than they already had Peter took to a much faster means of travel than he had before, ricocheting of the trunks of the trees like a pinball. He knew that Victoria would keep them out of sight, though at the speed he was going he would have looked like a red and black blur to most people as he made his way out of the park and towards the city.

[Harley]

Barry raced through the streets of New York, skillfully dodging any of the locals. Man, this team is slow. he thought as he suddenly stopped and skidded a bit a long the street, barely dodging a car. "Cool." He said as he took a look around "This should be near the village."

[Enchantress]

Victoria couldn't help but laugh just a little bit. Her hair was flying in the wind as she held on to Spider-Man, hoping he was just as good as the one back in her reality and they wouldn't end up street pizza.
"You do this pretty well. Lots of practice?" she said as she concentrated on keeping them from being spotted by the New Yorkers.
She kept her eyes on trying to look for their little speedster as he raced through the streets.
"Tessa, might need your help with chrome dome back there. I'm working on trying to keep Spider-Man and myself from being seen."

[Spiderbob]

"Gonna make that stupid kid wear a spider tracer from here on. Hope that he has enough brains to at least keep out of sight and not go racing through the streets like a complete idiot."
Pushing off of the last tree with a considerable amount of force, Peter catapulted the two of them out of the park and into the concrete jungle that is New York. Before their bodies even began to descend to the streets below he used his free arm to fire a webline at the nearest building.
"Hang on!"
He shifted his weight onto the silver strand supporting the two, using it to double the speed of their descent. The webline swung the two like a giant pendulum sending them soaring several stories above the building his webbing was attached two. Again, before the webbing could carry the two back down he released it, firing a second at another towering structure. With each swing he forced himself to increase his speed, pushed himself to go faster.
"Yeah, lots of practice. Remind me to teach you some time."
In all honesty he was only doing basic web slinging; fast, but still pretty basic. If he felt up to it and time permitting, he could perform a lot more difficult yet amazing tricks. Part of him wanted to.
"Keep eyes open for brainiac on the streets. We should be reaching the McDonalds he was heading to shortly."
Though most of his focus was on manuevering through the city and keeping them from getting to know the building walls more personally, he was still keeping an eye out for the boy and his desired restraunt.

[Local Hero]

"Yes Dr. I think we should evacuate this vicinity with alacrity.." Hank didn't get to finish his answer as he watched the Kid flash away from them out into the city. "I would surmise he hasn't yet learned that not everything can be handled by just doing it at super speed." he thought to himself, the impatient nature reminding him another speedster he knew. "If he ever takes the time, perhaps one day he will learn to take the time.." Hank shook his head, turning to the rest of the team. Hank waved to Spider and 'Toria."Take Care! Make sure the Kid doesn't get into too much trouble." he thought after 'Toria as Spider swept her up into the night sky over the park wall and into the city. "Three down..." Hank's face became even more serious at that thought. "Note to self. Build more communicators!"

Turning back to the remainder of the team once more, Hank took stock. Other than Norrin, the rest of them should be able to blend in with New York city life. Hank looked down at his tanned hands for a few seconds, then back up at Tessa as she spoke. "Hmm? Yes. This reality's Sorceror Supreme might not be Dr Strange, but without more information the most sensible course of action is to go with what we can surmise. We should go.. but.." He looked at Norrin again, then down at his hands, then back at Norrin. Coming to a decision, Hank reached into his jacket and deactivated his image inducer, detaching it from where it rested on his chest. His features dissolved once more into the ones most of the team were familiar with. "I can alter this costume to further hide my features." As he spoke the unstable molecules of his sleeves flowed down over his fingers, forming slowly into black leather gloves. "If I keep the hood up on my jacket people shouldn't give me a second look, and if they do you can confuse them, can't you Tessa?" Hank looked at her for a few seconds, then turned to Norrin.

"Here, I think you can make better use of this than me." Hank said as his clawed fingers tapped on a couple of almost invisible buttons on the face of the device. "Don't worry. It won't hurt. It runs on the body's own electrical field." he continued as he pressed the device onto Norrin's chest. "I don't know if it will work with your physiology and it's currently set to project the image of Hank McCoy, but as 'Toria won't always be in range to keep an illusion going it could be the only way to get you through the city unmolested." Reaching out a clawed finger towards his silver companion, Hank activated the Inducer once more and stepped back to see if it would work. "I have adjusted it so that if you keep hold of that surfboard of yours, people should just think you are carrying a guitar." Hank crossed two large fingers behind his back and waited to see if the Surfer's alien physiology would be similar enough to power the device.

[The Mighty Thor]

The alien’s physiology was more than enough to power Beasts’s image inducer. Once activated, it hummed with activity louder than Hank had ever heard it do before. In fact, the green haired doctor instinctively grabbed for the device, thinking that it was going to overload. But just as he did, it seemed to align itself with Norrin’s energy signature and his appearance shifted accordingly, leaving a second Henry McCoy standing where the Surfer had just been. Happy that the team was adequately disguised, they made their way out of the park and headed down the path that Spider-man and Victoria had themselves followed moments earlier.

Outside the confines of the park, swinging gracefully from building to building, Spider-man whisked Victoria and himself toward their destination. Fortunately it was an easy trip to make. It was a straight shot down 8th Avenue from the Park, and then around the corner to Bleecker Street. With no twists and turns to make around the city, it was a breeze for Peter to build up some amazing speed. Of coarse it was nothing compared to the lightning fast mobility of their impatient teammate, but it would have to do. As they traveled briskly down 8th Avenue, Victoria watched the streets below. Like any other day in New York City, the concrete corridors were filled with people. But with every passing minute the crowds seemed to dissipate. The people below moved with a much greater sense of urgency than the hectic populace of New York was known for. In fact, they seemed so preoccupied that it was obvious to her that they didn’t even need her psychic shielding. The people below had their minds entirely too wrapped up in their own troubles to notice two super heroes swinging from the buildings. They continued along 8th Avenue, which took them right past the world famous Madison Square Garden, or what was in Victoria’s reality world famous. Here and now it appeared to be abandoned. A dilapidated shell of a building that had obviously not been used in some time. Something was surely not right in this city.

Outside the restaurant bearing the familiar golden arches, Barry stood cocky as ever. The passers-by barely took the time to look at him as he screeched to a halt in the middle of the parking lot. Making his way to the front of the establishment, he reached for the door and gave it a tug. But the thing did not budge. It was then that he noticed the sign in the window that read of the place’s hours: MON. - SUN.: 8am-5pm. Now Barry had been to hundreds of different McDonalds all over the country, and he had never encountered one with such conservative hours. Especially one located in a tourist mecca like New York. Something was surely not right in this reality.

In a hurry, Hank and the rest of The Watch did their best to make their way through the city by foot. Beast knew that it was about four miles from the Park to Stephen’s brownstone, and that at this time of day it could take almost an hour to get there on foot. But this reality seemed different in that regard. For as they moved along the ever darkening streets, the city’s natives seemed to be dispersing rather quickly. It made it easier to move down 8th Avenue rapidly, but it also set the group on edge. Most of them had a vague understanding of how life in New York City operated, and this place seemed to be bucking the status quo rather vehemently. But they did not have the time to stop and ponder the situation, for they had to meet up with the rest of their team as quickly as possible.

By the time the team finally rendezvoused outside of the fast food restaurant it was nearly dark. They covered the few blocks to Stephen Strange’s house as quickly as they could, being led by Hank, considering he was the only one of the group that knew where the Sorcerer lived. As they walked the short distance, they now noticed that the streets had emptied completely. The Watch were the only people left wandering the streets of Greenwich Village. As they stood outside the run down tenement of a building that was once home to the Sorcerer Supreme, goose bumps began to form and blood began to run like ice water throughout the members of the team as the city took on a most eery tone.

[Harley]

Barry looked around at the silent streets. "Man, its as if they're scared they'll be grounded or somethin'." he said laughlingly "Kinda like that 1984 book, or somethin', didn't read past the table of contents." His right foot was starting to tap impatiently on the pavement "This place is giving me the willies, let's just get inside furball."

[Nova]

"Ummmm...I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this don't look or feel right." Rogue spoke nervously as she pulled her cloak tighter. "Do y'all get the feeling that we're the ones bieng watched here? It kinda reminds me of all the vampire movies I've seen." Rogue's eyes scanned the group. She could sense a tenseness in the air.