Simmons slammed her hand on the table, determination flickering in her eyes. "I can help too. I have mind control now—it's some real fighting power." She looked at the team, her voice tinged with both eagerness and uncertainty. "Lorelei may be an Asgardian, almost a goddess, but I can't just let May go alone."
Coulson shook his head gently. "Simmons, I know you want to help, but your control over your new ability is still too raw. This isn't the time to test it."
Su Zhan smiled, reassuring her. "You're worried about May, and that's good, but you're not ready for this kind of fight. If things get out of hand, I can always call in the War League for backup."
Simmons hesitated, then nodded, accepting their judgment.
May gave Su Zhan a nod, then turned and headed for the plane. The jet lifted off, soaring over the endless, arid stretches of Death Valley—a place as remote and unforgiving as any on Earth.
Meanwhile, in a dusty roadside tavern, the air was thick with the smell of gasoline and sweat. Dozens of motorcycles lined the entrance, and inside, a rough crowd of bikers—known as the Flying Party—laughed and swapped stories over cheap beer. The doors swung open, and a sleek roadster pulled up outside.
From the car stepped a woman whose beauty seemed almost unnatural. She had long, golden hair and wore a flowing green dress that clung to her elegant frame. Her features were as delicate as porcelain, her posture regal, and her eyes sparkled with a mischievous, hypnotic light. The moment she entered, every conversation in the bar died. Men stared, some whistled, and more than one jaw dropped.
A burly man, clearly the leader, swaggered over. "Well, aren't you a sight. Any man here would be lucky to have you. Is that guy outside rich?"
Lorelei glanced back at the man in the car, a sly smile on her lips. "I didn't come here for him. I took him from his bride. I just needed a driver, someone to give me a safe escort."
The leader grinned, intrigued. "Are you in trouble? If you need a place to hide, you picked the right spot."
She looked up at him, her voice soft but commanding. "What's your name?"
He pointed to the rooster emblem stitched on his jacket. "They call me Rooster."
She surveyed the group. "Are you their leader?"
Rooster puffed out his chest. "Yeah, that's right."
Lorelei's smile turned wicked. She reached out, resting her hand on Rooster's shoulder. Her voice took on a strange, enchanting quality—soft, musical, and utterly irresistible. "You and your men are now loyal to me."
Her words seemed to ripple through the air, weaving a spell that left Rooster and his gang dazed and obedient. The man from the car rushed in, alarmed. "Are you okay?" he called to Rooster, but Lorelei shook her head.
"He's mine now," she said, her voice honeyed and dangerous.
The man's face twisted in confusion. "No, I'm your man! Didn't you say I should follow you?"
Lorelei's eyes glittered. "Yes. I said you should follow me until the end. Now… this is the end."
Before anyone could react, she struck him with a single, devastating punch. He flew backward, crashing into the roadster and slumping to the ground, unmoving. The bikers recoiled, fear flickering in their eyes, but Lorelei's power was absolute. She strolled among them, her smile triumphant, and in moments, they were all under her spell, treating her as their queen and hanging on her every word.
...
Back in the jet, Su Zhan turned to May as they approached Death Valley. "We'll stop here. I'll take you the rest of the way."
The plane landed smoothly. May stepped out, checking her gear. "It's still a ways to the target. Should we drive or fly?"
Su Zhan smiled. "Neither. We'll jump straight there."
He placed his hands on her shoulders, nodded to the others, and in a blink, he and May vanished.
"Hey!" Fitz exclaimed, startled by their sudden disappearance.
Coulson looked at Skye, who shrugged. "Don't look at me. I was just as surprised the first time."
May blinked as the world shifted around her. "Next time, warn me before you do that," she muttered, steadying herself.
Su Zhan grinned. "Alright. Let's get to work."
They stood a short distance from the tavern, now eerily quiet except for the rumble of distant engines and the dry wind. Su Zhan extended his senses, filtering through the noise until he picked out the unmistakable sound of Lorelei's laughter—a voice so pleasant, it seemed to vibrate with magic.
"There are more than twenty people inside," he said quietly.
May nodded, trusting his assessment. She drew her gun, ready to move.
"Wait," Su Zhan said, stopping her with a gentle hand. "I'm not sure if Lorelei's power will work on me, but it's risky for you to go in alone. Those people are under her control. You can't save them, and they won't hesitate to kill for her. Lorelei herself is even more dangerous."
May frowned. "I can handle myself."
"I know you can," Su Zhan said, "but there's no need to take unnecessary risks."
He stepped forward, raising his hands. The air began to swirl, and suddenly two whirlwinds spun into existence, whipping up sand and debris. The wind howled, rattling the tavern's walls and sending motorcycles tumbling across the desert. Explosions echoed in the distance as gas tanks ruptured.
The building shook, its walls cracking. With a thunderous crash, the entire tavern lifted off its foundation, the roof and walls splitting apart. The structure hovered for a moment, suspended by Su Zhan's power, before slamming back to earth in a cloud of dust and splintered wood.
Inside, Lorelei stood amid the chaos, her eyes flashing with fury and fascination. She recognized the power at work and knew her spell was being challenged.
May and Su Zhan approached the wreckage, ready to face the enchanting banshee whose voice could bring gods to their knees.