{Chapter: 250 In the Shark's Belly}
Above the vast, turbulent waters at the southernmost edge of South America, bursts of brilliant blue energy suddenly erupted from thin air. The intense glow expanded like thick smoke being blown apart by a hurricane, forming a crackling rift in the fabric of space itself. From within that glowing vortex, two objects were flung outward—one was a man, the other a radiant blue cube, pulsating with otherworldly light.
The man was none other than William, and the glowing cube was unmistakably the Tesseract.
The portal collapsed behind them as they were ejected into the sky. The two flew apart in opposite directions—William spiraling downward toward the ocean, while the Tesseract skipping through the water like a stone skipping, eventually vanishing beyond the horizon in deep sea, its location hidden once more.
With a loud splash, William plummeted into the sea. Just as his body hit the waves, the water churned violently. A monstrous great white shark, easily over 12 meters in length, surged out of the deep. Its jaw snapped open wide, revealing rows of serrated teeth—and with terrifying speed, it swallowed William whole before crashing back into the ocean with a thunderous splash.
Silence returned to the sea, broken only by the rippling waves.
Roughly an hour later, the sound of high-tech engines buzzed low across the water's surface. A sleek, advanced aircraft skimmed the waves at high velocity, its hull shimmering with stealth plating. Inside, Agent Coulson studied a glowing display screen, tracking residual space energy signals.
"Sir, we've located a space-time disturbance signature in this sector of the ocean," Coulson said, addressing the computer interface.
On the screen, the face of a serious-looking, bald, one-eyed man appeared. It was none other than Director Nick Fury.
"Pinpoint the source. I want it found," Fury ordered.
Coulson nodded. "Yes, sir. The signal is concentrated in this area. We'll initiate a dive and retrieve whatever we can."
Two agents donned specialized diving suits and, after a systems check, leapt from the aircraft into the ocean with practiced ease.
Fifteen minutes later, they emerged from the depths, each clutching an object. One agent held what appeared to be a glowing, translucent cube. The other helped secure the find into a containment unit before entering the aircraft.
"We recovered this," Coulson said, presenting the cube to the camera.
Fury's eye widened as he recognized the artifact. "That's the Tesseract... I'd bet my other eye on it. According to S.H.I.E.L.D. archives, Hydra wielded its power during World War II. Their weapons were fueled by the cube's infinite energy. When the war ended, the Tesseract vanished."
"The Tesseract?" Coulson echoed, clearly stunned by the historical weight of what he held.
"Yes. Any other signs of unusual activity? Any signs of... life?" Fury asked, his tone suddenly sharper.
Coulson smirked. "Plenty of big sharks, sir. Want us to bring one back?"
Fury raised a brow. "Only if it can talk. Enough with the jokes, Agent Coulson. Return to base. Now."
"Yes, Director Fury."
The aircraft turned, lifting off with a sharp acceleration as it cut through the air, disappearing into the distance.
Half a day later, a luxury yacht glided into the same region of the ocean. The sleek vessel was custom-built for speed and discretion. On its deck stood three individuals—Alice, Ada, and the White Queen, each gazing at the endless expanse of sea with a sense of urgency.
"White Queen, any findings?" Alice asked, arms crossed as her eyes scanned the horizon.
The White Queen, her appearance deceptively youthful, closed her eyes as glowing streams of data flashed through her pupils.
"The energy signature disappeared nearly six hours ago. We missed the event," she replied calmly. "But I'm scanning the area for any residual traces."
A moment later, her eyes snapped open, and a slight frown formed. "I did find something... peculiar."
"What is it?" Ada asked.
"There's a great white shark big enough to be called a Megalodon nearby. It's... abnormal. Its biological readings are erratic. It appears to be suffering from severe indigestion. It's trying to vomit or excrete something, but it can't. The poor creature looks like it's in considerable pain."
Alice raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? We came all the way from New York just to observe a constipated shark?"
The White Queen smirked. "Hey, don't underestimate indigestion. I believe this shark swallowed something—something important."
"You're suggesting we catch it?" Ada asked with mild amusement.
"Exactly. And trust me, this is no ordinary shark. You'll want to see what's inside," the White Queen replied with a mysterious glint in her eyes.
Alice sighed and reached for the heavy-duty sea rod onboard. She baited the enormous hook with a large chunk of beef. "Well, let's go fishing, then. White Queen, ever had shark fin soup? Although great white shark fins aren't exactly gourmet."
"You'll be surprised by what we reel in," White Queen said, unable to contain a mischievous grin.
Ada looked intrigued. "What exactly did you detect?"
"I already told you," White Queen said, teasingly, "but you two don't have the gift of excitement. The shark is being drawn to the smell of blood. Alice, get ready—something's coming."
The sea around them began to shift.
Alice tightened her grip on the rod. "Let's see what secrets this sea monster holds."
---
Few Minutes Later..
Alice suddenly felt a powerful tug on the fishing rod, nearly knocking her off balance. Her eyes sharpened, and she swiftly began reeling in the line with both hands. "It's hooked! And it's strong—really strong!"
Ada, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow. "Come on, it's just a shark. That shouldn't be a problem for someone like you."
"Of course not," Alice replied, flashing a confident grin. Then, in a sudden burst of energy, her pupils flared with light. Channeling her telekinetic powers, she gripped the fishing rod and swung it upward with force. Her telekinesis wrapped around the creature beneath the waves, yanking it from the depths.
A massive great white shark—easily over 12 meters long—burst out of the sea like a missile. Water cascaded off its glistening body as it soared through the air, flailing wildly, jaws snapping in panic.
Then—
BOOM!
The shark landed with a thunderous crash onto the deck of the yacht. The vessel groaned under the impact, tilting dangerously to one side. The fiberglass cracked in multiple places, railings bent inward, and panels split open. The deck trembled under the beast's sheer weight—over a 800Kg of thrashing muscle and rage. Blood and seawater splattered across the floor, soaking everything in its path.
The shark began convulsing, slapping its heavy tail against the ruined deck, its fins smacking the side of the ship as it instinctively tried to escape.
"What a poor, unfortunate creature," the White Queen murmured, calmly stepping forward with a silver knife glinting in her hand. "You should have known better than to eat something you couldn't digest." Without hesitation, she drove the blade deep into the top of the shark's head, right between the eyes.
The enormous creature gave one final shudder, then went still.
"Alright," she said, wiping the blade clean on the shark's rough skin, "let's cut it open and see what secrets it's hiding."
With surgical precision, the White Queen sliced open the bloated belly of the shark. As the thick layers of flesh parted, an overwhelming stench burst out, pungent and foul—half-digested remains, stomach acid, and blood spilled over the deck like a grotesque waterfall.
But neither Alice nor Ada flinched. After surviving the horrors of the bioterror crisis, they had become numb to such sights. This was nothing compared to the carnage they'd seen in the past, especially with William.
"And now," the White Queen said theatrically, "is the moment to witness a miracle."
From within the slick, gory mess, a humanoid form slowly slid out, coated in blood, mucus, and undigested fish guts. His arms were limp, eyes shut, body pale and still.
Alice and Ada stared in disbelief.
"What... what is this?" Alice asked, her voice caught between awe and confusion.
The White Queen raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with you two? Don't tell me you've already forgotten your husband?"
She smirked. "He's one man, not a pair of shoes—you don't just misplace him after one battle."
"Wait—this is William?!" Alice gasped, her eyes wide. Without hesitation, she shoved the shark's corpse with her telekinesis, forcing it to slide back off the yacht and into the ocean with a heavy splash.
Despite the sticky blood and the unbearable stench clinging to William's unconscious body, neither woman hesitated. They rushed forward, lifting him gently, brushing aside the mess clinging to his face.
"It's him! It's really him!" Ada exclaimed, her voice trembling with shock. "But... how did he end up like this?"
"Let's get him cleaned up, quickly!" Alice said urgently.
"I've got it." Ada lifted her left hand, conjuring a ball of water in the air. With a soft flick of her wrist, the orb burst into a stream, pouring over William's body. The water washed away blood, grime, and stomach fluids, leaving his skin pale but clean.
"William! Wake up—please, wake up!" Alice shook his shoulders gently but firmly, panic rising in her voice.
But William remained motionless, his breathing shallow.
Ada turned to the White Queen, anxiety tightening her jaw. "What's wrong with him? Why won't he wake up?"
The White Queen's smile faded. Her eyes softened with a rare tenderness, mixed with concern. "He's not dead, but he's been through something… terrible. Body is in chaos. We need to get him back—now."
The yacht's engine roared to life, propelling them away from the site with urgency.
---
Several hours later, long after they had departed, another small boat quietly arrived at the same coordinates. Aboard it stood two women—Jane and Pepper.
"Did you find anything?" Pepper asked, scanning the horizon.
Jane sighed and crossed her arms. "We're too late. Someone's already been here. Probably SHIELD."
Pepper squinted toward the water, then pointed. "Look. There. A huge dead shark floating in the waves."
Jane leaned forward, her brow furrowing. "It was killed recently. The wounds are clean, surgical even. Someone cut it open." Her tone shifted to frustration. "Something definitely happened here."
Pepper glanced at her quietly. "So what now?"
Jane exhaled slowly. "We head back. Looks like this was a wasted trip."
But Pepper didn't move. She lingered a moment longer, eyes still on the sea. "You were hoping to see him, weren't you? William."
Jane gave a crooked, almost mischievous smile. "And you weren't?"
"I wasn't expecting anything," Pepper said with a hint of defensiveness. "I came here because you asked me to. Don't read too much into it."
She turned and stepped into the cabin, leaving Jane alone on deck, eyes still scanning the ocean as if she could catch a glimpse of what—or who—had been there before.
****
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