The rooftop exploded behind Alexander as he dove forward, his coat whipping through the wind, the pavement beneath him cracking as another bolt of blue energy barely missed his spine. The two armored soldiers followed in relentless pursuit, scaling the vertical surface like machines programmed for one purpose—his elimination.
Rain splattered across the concrete as he rolled to his feet, pivoting with catlike precision. His hands moved in one fluid motion, summoning two blades of shadow, curved and sleek like they were forged from midnight. He didn't hesitate. The instant he caught his footing, he flung one of the blades with pinpoint precision.
The weapon struck the nearest soldier directly in the chest.
It shattered on impact.
The armored unit didn't flinch. No spark, no pause—just a slow tilt of its head, mechanical and eerie, as it raised its energy weapon with the cold efficiency of a machine.
Alexander's jaw tightened. "Right. So much for subtlety."
Another blast lit up the sky. Alexander twisted out of the way, the bolt screaming past his ear and colliding with a rooftop water tower behind him. The metal structure exploded, water gushing like a broken artery as debris rained down in a storm of splinters and steel.
Alexander didn't wait. He turned and sprinted.
He leapt off the edge without hesitation.
Three stories down.
The shadows responded to his will, spreading beneath him like wings, cushioning his fall. He landed in the alleyway with a heavy thud, knees bent, hand pressed against the ground to steady himself.
He wasn't alone.
Another soldier dropped from above with a metallic thump, landing behind him like death itself.
Alexander whipped around, summoning a wall of black mist between them. The energy blast hit the shield and cracked it like glass, a web of fractures spreading across the surface.
He released the wall and lunged forward, driving his palm into the attacker's chest and releasing a surge of abyssal energy. Tendrils of darkness shot forward like spears, stabbing into the glowing circuitry of the armor.
The light inside the armor flickered.
The unit convulsed.
A high-pitched whine filled the air.
Alexander's eyes narrowed. "Come on. Overload."
The soldier exploded in a burst of unstable energy.
Alexander flew backward, slamming into a trash bin, rolling over himself as burning steam rose from the scorch mark where the enemy had stood.
He groaned, coughing as he got back on his feet. His ribs ached, his shirt was torn, and steam curled off his shoulders.
"One down," he muttered, his voice strained.
From above, another energy bolt screamed downward.
He flung himself to the side, rolling through puddles, the bolt cracking the pavement beside him and throwing up a geyser of stone.
A red-and-gold blur streaked across the sky.
Tony Stark soared overhead in full Iron Man armor, thrusters blazing through the rain. With a rapid twist, he aimed and fired a twin repulsor blast that slammed into the second soldier.
The unit flew backward into a parked van.
The van crumpled like paper.
Tony hovered in the air. "You're welcome!"
Alexander didn't slow his pace. "Don't get cocky. That won't stop them."
Natasha appeared next, emerging from a side alley, water dripping from her tactical gear. She raised her pistol but didn't fire.
"There's more inbound," she said quickly. "Five heat signatures, southeast. They're converging."
Tony dropped beside them. "What the hell are these things? They're not pinging anything on my radar."
Alexander caught his breath, nodding grimly. "They're not Chitauri. Not HYDRA. I've never seen tech like this."
"They're targeting you specifically," Natasha added, eyes narrowing.
Alexander turned toward the approaching shadows. "That's what bothers me."
A deep mechanical rumble vibrated through the ground.
All three turned.
From beyond the rooftops, a towering, six-legged machine rose—twenty feet tall and covered in a black exoskeleton. Its design was a terrifying fusion of alien Chitauri curves and Earth-made weapon systems. It looked like something built by HYDRA in a forgotten lab and retrofitted with stolen Stark tech.
Glowing blue veins of unstable energy pulsed through its frame as it crested the block. Its central eye, massive and circular, locked onto Alexander.
Inside its core, a cannon swelled with power, charging.
Tony's suit beeped a dozen simultaneous alarms.
Natasha's eyes widened. "That thing is weaponized."
Alexander stood still, shadows rising around him.
"Run," he said calmly.
The cannon fired.
End of Chapter 68
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