Chapter 3

Madison Jeffries wiped the grease from his hands with a damp cloth. Of course, it would not completely clean his hands but it will have to do until he could properly wash them. Now he had an engine to test. The Avengers donated the new Alpha Jet (a modified Quinjet) two months ago. It took that long to get it up to Madison’s specs. He stood in front of the craft that now sported a sleeker design and the Canadian colours.
“Well, Mac will like it, but couldn’t you add some native designs?”
Madison swung around and came face-to-face with Elizabeth Twoyoungmen, daughter to Alpha Flight’s Shaman.
“Hello Liz, what brings you here?”
Elizabeth was dressed in a deerskin jacket with frills and blue jeans ending in a pair of leather boots. The young, pretty girl was just out of University, and the bearer of the Talisman, a powerful magical artifact. She had joined Alpha Flight a month ago in order to be with her father and help heal past emotional wounds.
“Are you kidding? Haven’t you been watching T.V.?”
“Nope, been working on the Alpha Jet. Trouble?”
“Something is happening in New York City.”
Madison crossed his arms, a look of concern on his face. “Oh?”
“It’s all over the news, some sort of plague…”
“Plague?”
“Well that’s what the reporters said. I don’t know.”
“You, uh…y’know?”
Elizabeth shook her head. “Detecting anything mystical? No, I’m not.”
“I guess the New York heroes are present. The Avengers, the FF…”
A worried look crossed her features. “The Avengers were the first on the scene.”
Madison cocked his head. “And?”
“And they were the first to be infected.”

The hanger’s speaker crackled to life, Heather’s voice echoed out into the vast chamber. “All members of Alpha and Beta Flight report to the briefing room. I repeat, Alpha and Beta to the briefing room.”
Elizabeth flashed a concerned look to Madison. “Two guesses what this is about.”
“With both teams being called, none needed.”
The two hurried to their destination.


In the briefing room, two sets of teams were assembling. Most of Alpha was already there. Jeanne-Marie sat beside Walter, her usual playful smile was absent and she held the Doctor’s hand. Roger (in his wheelchair) sat close to the front of the room. Eugene entered with Narya and Gardner Monroe, better known as Snowbird and Flashback.
Lastly, Madison, Elizabeth and Jean-Paul (now in costume) entered. Mac stood at the front of the room.
“Elizabeth, I heard you were here.” Mac said. “Your Father is in his meditation room, trying to determine if this threat is magical.”
“It’s not. I already know.”
“I see.” He replied, he noticed the frightened look in her eyes. “Well, maybe he can find out what it is anyways.”
“What are we dealing with here, Mac?” Walter asked, still holding the hand of Jeanne-Marie.
Heather walked into the room at that moment with her laptop. “No one knows yet,” she started right in.” “But I have some satellite footage now of Ground Zero.”
“Good, plug it into the monitor, Heather.” Mac said.

Soon, the entire room was witnessing the beginning of the end.