When Dante arrived on the Airbus via portal, they were already nearing Peru—so there wasn't much time left.
The Airbus belonging to Coulson's team eventually flew over a dense, endless rainforest before landing on a patch of flat ground outside the tree line.
Then, they loaded up into the Federal Bureau of Investigation's custom off-road vehicles and headed toward the predetermined coordinates.
Dante didn't open a portal this time. The Coulson Team wouldn't always have him around, and if they got too used to teleporting everywhere, they'd get soft.
Besides…
Rare chance to go abroad on government expense—shouldn't they enjoy the view?
After about an hour of driving, they finally reached their destination.
This was an excavation site of Inca ruins.
Dante first did a sweep of the surrounding jungle, circling the perimeter to confirm there were no signs of large lifeforms. Once he was sure, he nodded for the team to begin.
Fitz and Jemma hopped out, chatting and laughing, hauling their gear with them.
"Oh, Jemma, is that the South American Bushmaster you mentioned on the plane?"
At those words, Fitz and Jemma whipped their heads around—only to see a yellow-brown, venomous snake coiled tightly around Dante's perfectly sculpted forearm. It was a Bushmaster, currently gnawing on Dante's hand like its life depended on it.
Unfortunately for it, Dante's physical stats were still intact. Snake fangs had no chance of penetrating his skin.
"Is it fun having a venomous snake wrapped around your arm?! It's literally biting you!"
"Don't say that. It kinda tickles, honestly. I think this little guy really likes me," Dante said casually, unwrapping the snake from his wrist.
Then he flicked his arm and launched it back into the jungle.
Jemma rushed over to inspect his wrist. She knew the venom couldn't hurt Dante, but that Bushmaster's poison was still dripping off his hand and onto the ground.
She immediately pulled out high-concentration disinfectant and started cleaning his hand.
"Uh, Jemma, I appreciate the concern, but snake venom really doesn't affect me. I could probably drink it and be fine."
"I know it doesn't affect you," Jemma sighed. "But if the venom gets on anyone else, they might not be so lucky. Clean it up—don't cause trouble for the team."
They turned and walked into the ruins of the Inca temple. The ancient site, hidden deep in the jungle, had stood for at least five centuries—and it was where the 084 item had been detected.
Dante followed the Science Babies into the temple. After they finished the most thorough on-site scan imaginable, they reached a conclusion.
"Everything in here is authentic—Inca-era at the latest, possibly even pre-Inca." Fitz pointed to a chunk of wall where something clearly didn't belong. "But this thing? I don't care how low your IQ is—there's no way you'd think this should be here."
"Inside the fossilized rock layer we just excavated, there's a mechanical object embedded—one with a clear, ordered structure," Jemma added. "Which means it's been here at least fifteen hundred years—longer than the temple itself has existed."
"…But from the manufacturing quality, it looks kinda… German."
Dante watched them geek out for a moment, then decided to step outside for air.
He had Captain Cold's genius-level engineering ability, and at a glance he could tell—it was probably some kind of energy emitter.
But knowing tech wasn't the same as liking it.
He wasn't built for research labs and whiteboards.
"May, have you eaten?"
As soon as Dante stepped out of the ruins, he spotted Melinda May—just now returning from parking the car in a hidden spot.
"You should save that kind of greeting for someone else."
"My bad, my bad… Oh, by the way—have you and Fury told Steve Rogers about the existence of Captain Carter yet?"
"Not yet. Rogers is only just now adjusting to the present. No need to provoke him. I'll take him to see our Peggy Carter first—she's been… relatively lucid lately."
At the mention of this timeline's Peggy Carter, Melinda May—usually a blank-slate poker face—let a flicker of sorrow show through.
Dante stared at her warily.
"…Why are you looking at me like that?" May instinctively touched her face. "Do I have something on it?"
"No. I just figured, in this kind of setup, you were about to drop the classic FBI agent line—'Peggy Carter is the closest thing to a mother you've ever had' or some crap like that. I've heard that line so many times lately, I'm getting an allergy."
"Uh, I had actual parents."
"Then you're already ahead of the game. Double-parent configuration—OP setup."
As Dante spoke, he suddenly flashed a series of hand signals—specific to Federal Bureau of Investigation field tactics.
May got it instantly.
They split, flanking both sides of the brush.
Then—bam—they moved in sync, yanking several armed intruders out from cover.
All of them were fully kitted soldiers.
Dante had spotted them when they first reached the ruins, but he hadn't bothered making a fuss.
He preferred cleaning them up in one go.
Now that the enemy squad was nearly assembled, he signaled May—and it was go time.
She and Dante immediately knocked out the closest soldiers. At the same time, military jeeps came roaring in from all directions.
Dozens more soldiers poured out, rifles raised.
Oliver Queen, Wade Wilson, and Steve Rogers stepped out of the jungle like it was rehearsed.
Dante raised his hands in a gesture of "don't look at me."
The five Agents—all seasoned—barely exchanged glances.
They already knew the plan.
Soon enough, the ground was littered with unconscious bodies.
"I heard Peru's got a rebel group stirring up trouble lately. Think it's them?" Wade said as he slid his katanas away.
"Nope. These guys are too well-equipped, too well-trained," Oliver said, scanning the scene. "They'd be top-tier soldiers in any country. Clearly government troops. But why would the army ambush us? We already informed the Peruvian officials."
"What happened?" Coulson and Barry came out of the temple, faces darkening the moment they saw the sprawled-out soldiers.
"A squad of Peruvian soldiers just attacked us for no reason. Don't worry—we went non-lethal. No international incidents today," Steve explained.
That calmed Coulson.
But what happened next made him spit out that calm like expired milk.
Because the next person to show up was someone he used to know very well.
...
About twenty seconds after the skirmish ended, Peruvian Military Police Commander Camila Reyes arrived on the scene—only to find her troops all groaning on the ground.
And Dante standing there, waiting like he'd been expecting someone.
"Who are you?!" Camila Reyes demanded, alarmed. "What happened to my soldiers?"
"I'm Agent Dante Alighieri. Level Seven, Federal Bureau of Investigation. We're here for an international security matter."
Dante's tone was cool. He already knew who she was.
As he spoke, some of the soldiers on the ground started coming to—groaning weakly.
Honestly, they'd held back during the fight. If they hadn't, non-lethal or not, nobody would've been conscious this fast.
"Federal Bureau of Investigation?" Camila's acting was good—her fake confusion was flawless. "I'm Camila Reyes, Commander of the Peruvian Military Police. Your operations on Peruvian soil demand an explanation."
"As you wish, Commander Camila Reyes." Dante nodded, gesturing to the ruins. "We detected an 084 item within these Inca ruins. As you should know, under international agreements signed by Peru, 084 items fall under Federal Bureau of Investigation jurisdiction and do not belong to the country of origin."
Camila looked like she still wanted to argue—until Coulson stepped up.
"Hmm? Phil?"
"Camila," Coulson said with a small smile, stepping forward. "It's been years. You're a Commander now?"
"Three years ago, actually. Phil, we should greet each other properly."
And with that, Camila and Coulson shared a cheek kiss.
"I've got a few questions for you," Dante interrupted them.
"Oh, Phil…" Camila shook her head. "Your Agents are competent, but they lack manners."
"Camila, I think there's a misunderstanding," Coulson said, expression going from warm to strictly professional. "Dante's not my subordinate. In some ways, his authority and importance even outrank mine. And while he may act casual, he never interrogates people without cause. So if he's asking, you should probably answer."
Camila's frown deepened.
Damn you, Clairvoyant. How come there was no intel on someone like him?
No choice now. She'd have to play along.
Dante waited for her nod, then started his questioning.
"Given the conflict between Peru's military and the rebels… how does the Commander have time to rendezvous with an old flame here? Or does Peru now have tech to detect 084 items? Is that why you deployed elite forces in secret?"
"…We were conducting a rebel sweep. The encounter was a coincidence."
"Yeah? Let me answer for you." Dante stepped between her and Coulson, voice low. "The Clairvoyant told you Coulson's team was coming to retrieve the 084. He said it was a weapon—something that could end the civil war. But then… an unexpected obstacle appeared."
Camila's expression changed completely. She subtly stepped back, looking at Coulson with mixed emotion and growing resolve.
Coulson was shocked too—not at her betrayal, but at her sheer ruthlessness.
"So… when did you decide to throw our history away?"
"…The moment I saw your team."
"Should I be grateful you didn't make that call when you got the intel?"
Camila didn't answer. Instead, she pressed a button on her communicator.
More engine sounds echoed in the distance—perfectly matching the backup units Dante had detected during his earlier recon.
They'd come fully loaded.
"Subdue the FBI Agents! Seize the 084 item!" Camila ordered coldly.
Then, to Coulson, she added, "I'm sorry, Phil. But between you and my country, I had to make a hard choice. Don't resist. I won't hurt you. Once the rebels are dealt with, I'll surrender to the international court and the Bureau."
"Is that so…"
Coulson nodded. He knew then that there was no saving this.
So he turned and walked toward the mountain—
He turned and walked toward the ruins.
"Team, listen up. Try not to kill anyone."
"It's your team now, so I'll listen."
His old flame hadn't shown any old affection—but Coulson still couldn't be cruel.
He wasn't a bleeding heart. If they'd come with malicious intent, he wouldn't have hesitated to pull the trigger.
But Camila Reyes and these soldiers… they weren't evil.
Just desperate patriots making a gamble.
Coulson couldn't bring himself to hurt them.
(To be continued.)
***
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