All my Dupes were looking at the vast, brilliantly lit Markspace, thrumming with thoughts and purpose and goodwill. So many bright Lights of the soul. The numbers of blues and greens were less than a thousandth of the yellows, whites, and oranges, and the darker shades were only a small fraction of those, off in their own little corners, probably barely aware there was a greater Markspace out there at all, or they’d likely go mad with jealousy.

Felicia’s Allegiance network wasn’t getting exposed to this quite yet. She’d save it for those who wanted more, and had the ambition to work for it. Those higher Ranked could still see it looking down, of course, just like I could see everyone ranked below me easily. Since only Sama and Briggs were higher, and those equal could see one another, I could see everything.

A whole lot of those Directs turned to look at me, and metaphorical jaws dropped, stunned.

First, it was plain I had an independent Mark network, with independent Allegiances below it, none of which had any shared origins with them.

Second, I was a Triple-Twenty, and I had literally just come out of nowhere.

Thirdly, I was radiating an Eternal-class weight somehow, Legendary in presence if not in power.

Fourth, I had a 69 (73) Intellect, 47 Wisdom, 49 Charisma, a base Caster Level of 66, and an Ultra Core Nine. I also had Sersi/Flux literally inside me, looking like an aspect of my personality at this point.

Fifth, I was the Sage of Focus here. To anyone who could see me clearly, I looked like diamond razors, and that was relative to THEM. No Intellect below 30 could even see me properly, or possibly understand a fraction of what they were looking at.

Sixth, I had Cosmic Awareness, and it swept out and over them. Instantly I knew who they all were, how powerful they were, their relationships with one another, their real-world locations, how long they had been here, and where they fit into the maze and network of Marks and Oaths at work here. The Shielders, the Black Widows, the Totem Warlocks, the Psions, the Shamans, the Raven Guard, the Dragons-wielders...

Tatyana and Kwannon waved at me in greeting from over yonder.

Sama and Briggs both had me on Charisma and Wisdom. On Intellect, despite their Eternal status towering over everyone, I had them cold, and my Exemplar status combined with Cosmic Awareness gave me an immediate and lofty, mystical presence that stood completely alone there, unmatched in their Markspace.

Director Cassandra stared at me, then turned on Kwannon, her mental eyes wide, immediately understanding that she had fallen in love with just one aspect of my mind.

Sama was more blunt, of course, while Briggs just lifted a mental eyebrow. “Mithar and his Mutt, what happened to you?” she demanded, glaring at me in reproof. “What do you do, Level up by breathing?” she complained.

“Sometimes I think so,” I replied easily enough, sighing. “I killed the Magus. Reality hates a vacuum. I think I inherited his Exemplar status, convenient receptacle handy that I was, and Death probably is responsible for it.”

“Full Exemplar? Well, isn’t that something,” mused Briggs, undeterred. “Helping you deal with the Cosmic Awareness?”

“Aye, learning to rein it in, mostly. I can... see too much, too intensely.”

He nodded once. “Yes, I know how that goes. Do you know where those missing are?”

“Yes. However, there’s an area of disrupted space around it. It’s Sealed to alternities and time, and even extends into the adjunct dimensions. You can’t use Limbo to get around it.”

“Can you pop in outside it and go in under physical power?” Sama asked immediately.

“It’s a hundred light years wide, and no hyperspace or teleporting until you’re actually in-system. I don’t have an inertialess real-space propulsion method, so, no. Nothing not truly cosmic is getting through easily.”

“This bastard is really annoying,” Sama grit her teeth, waving her hand. Promptly the Patriot, the Hulk, the Arrow, Hawkeye, Darkstar, and Colossus were all present around us, with Peggy fading in next to her husband. I tamped down my presence so as not to overwhelm them, much as Sama and Briggs were doing, but they still jumped when they saw me.

I snapped my mental fingers, and Sunny, Peter, Cyclops, Reed, Johnny, and Ben were promptly dragged in, with Sue popping up as well. Sunny and Darkstar looked at one another and promptly embraced mentally, light and dark reflections of one another with different systems, finally under the same roof, as it were.

Sama repeated what I’d just said for emphasis, finishing off with, “I’d love to just pop up a Portal and bring you all back, but as you can see, that isn’t possible right now. Steve, thoughts?”

“For the short term, we play the game, stalling for time,” the Patriot answered, glancing at Peggy, who agreed. “What do we know about the being that did this to us?”

“We know that it has to die, or there’s going to be some REAL problems within a generation,” Briggs stated grimly.

That shocked most of them. “Kill it? How do we kill it?” Clint Barton asked in disbelief. “It kicked around Galactus like a red-headed stepchild!”

“Doom,” Briggs said calmly.

“Doom? He is here?” Colossus growled. The Euroforce had more run-ins with Doom than anyone else, although he somehow managed to mess with people all over the planet.

I snapped my fingers, and Thundra/Felicia and The Mountain were both suddenly there with me. Sama lifted an eyebrow, and all her heroic types just regarded the two of them strangely; her gold-orange, him green... except for Hawkeye, who flitted over with a rueful grin, mental hand extended.

“Sarge, finally got yourself into the real big leagues, huh?” he asked, as they shook hands, silver on green.

The Mountain looked around at the immensity of the Markspace slowly, and then over at Sama, who was eying him in some amusement.

“Damn, always knew the Hag and the Bear were running the world behind the scenes, but seeing it laid out like this is pretty damn impressive,” he admitted, returning Hawkeye’s shake. He waved at the other hero-types there, undeterred by them having brighter colors than him. “You all got sucked into this?” he asked shortly, looking to the Patriot.

“List out who is on the villain side, Mr. Hill,” I suggested calmly.

He did so quickly and concisely, closing with, “I’m speaking for most of the muscle. We’ve signed up under the Mandarin, and Dealer is already talking with Finskool & Hitch to get the funds held in trust until we get back. Doom and Maelstrom are off doing something, while the others are mostly exploring this place, trying ta claim territory, and are real pissed the Mandarin paid us first.”

“Doom’s off doing something, then. What are you expecting, Master Briggs?” the Patriot asked him respectfully.

“Doom’s lust for power should come up with something impressive. You just have to work around it and survive until then. It would be good to get Galactus on board playing along with everything. With Thor and your Shield, Galactus should acknowledge you. Go to meet Him,” Briggs suggested calmly.

“What do I tell Him?” General Rogers asked reasonably.

“That the Beyonder is a threat to the entirety of reality and needs to die. He should play out the game and set up the Beyonder for failure,” Briggs stated evenly.

“That I will do,” he agreed. “Mr. Hill, I take it we can expect some form of an attack to come?”

“That twit Maelstrom is already heading your way. Graviton decided he wanted someone cooking for him and is just lazing about, he’d be a bigger threat. Modred is a mage in a techno-alien world, and clearly outta sorts, muttering about absence of the Fey and the Spirits are silent and other dumb stuff. Kang is trying ta get the Mandarin to obey him, and that’s not going well.” There was the distant sound of an explosion radiating from him. “Yeah, Marko just had to kick him out. He’s probably not happy.”

“They’re not that far down the road from us, all things being equal. There’s definitely hypersonic transport in this place. We’ll be ready, and plan a strike of our own,” the Patriot said.

“I’m countin’ on it. Gotta keep the Schmot Guys motivated.”

“We’ll keep you all updated with things on this end, and we’ve already sent out word to your respective loved ones to keep them up to date and informed,” Sama said to all of them. “We’ll try and get you home, one way or another.”

------

The meeting broke up, me being merely useless, as all I could do is tell them that they were literally on the other side of the universe from us. Cosmic Awareness, yay.

The Mountain turned to me with a keen look in his eye. “Hey, girl, I got a thought.”

“Better than mine, I hope.”

“The Patriot said we were down the road from him,” he reminded me.

I blinked. Blinked again. “Holy shit, Mr. Hill.”

He grinned hard. “Old man still has it,” he said smugly. “This saving the universe crap is something these guys definitely don’t want to stick around for, especially if it involves messing with Galactus. We want outta here. Can that Beyonder thing stop The Road from reaching here?”

“My Cosmic Awareness can’t touch the Road. The only person who can test that out is a Driver.”

“I’ll get Dealer right on that, then.”

-------

“Miiiiiick! Mickmickmickmick!” Dealer sang out, racing into the workshop where the Mick and the rest of the Punishment crew were working on their Rides. Gold and silver Runes were skirling at the edge of sight... it was nearly time for that most daring of Rides, the one that took you down the Highway to Hell.

The Mick’s Mustang was looking freaking awesome, brooding there like a thing alive, eager to be out and about on the Road. Armor plates had been removed and were being carefully worked on as The Mick looked up at Dealer, a bit surprised to see her there.

“Hey, Dealer, what’s the rush?” he asked, his adamantium stencil staying in motion. He was in mid-job, after all.

“Emergency need for a Driver, not the whole team!” she replied, zipping up on the other side of his work.

He wasn’t dumb, but he didn’t put down his tool, either. “This have something to do with the missing heroes and stuff?” he asked sharply.

“Yes! We know where they are, but we can’t get to them. Mr. Hill is with them. Well, with the other side of them.” Her eyes twinkled. “There’s even more villains got sucked in, too!”

“Huh.” He turned his attention back to his work, and drew another perfect skirling curve on it before dropping a few beads of gold on the metal. Then a torch flared to life and played over the dura-mithral under his delicate touch. Sparks danced around the Lightning Gauntlets on his hand, powering all the tools with his own soul, binding him and his car closer together.

She waited patiently as he finished, not going to break his cadence. Although the rest of the crews were interested in what might be going on, none of them were looking up from their own work, either.

“You need a Driver to scout a Road out there, and bring ‘em back.” His dark eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “How far away?”

“Different galaxy.”

“Damn! Sounds like fun. I take it this isn’t something Castle will give a rat’s ass about, except for Hill?”

“He’d probably want to put a bullet in most of them, yeah.”

“We’re not pulling out the heroes?” he asked curiously.

“They have to save the universe. Once they do so, they can get home quick.”

“Oh, right, silly me.” He bent back to his work, and Dealer waited another ten minutes while he finished another arc and plated it with gold. “So... what’s it paying?”

“Right now, you’re pulling out the Mandarin, Mr. Hill, and those working for him. Scout the way, make the rides over there, and guide them back. If anyone else wants to come along, you’re the Driver. You set the price.”

“Do they know I’m coming for Mr. Hill?” he asked shortly.

“No, but Mr. Hill won’t come back without all of them. He’s under contract.”