Chapter One
Soroya

Before we let Kieran Harlow explain herself any further, we alert the whole team to come here immediately. We think everyone should be here to hear what Harlow has to say. Within twenty minutes we have everyone either in the base or here via hologram. Zy, T'Challa, Nakia, Okoye, Shuri, Everett, Ana, Naomi, Khari, and the rest of the kids are here as well. Shuri, despite being cautious about the Kree woman, has been taking care of her severed hand, offering to give her a replacement if she'd like. Harlow looks shocked by her kindness, but nods all the same.

There is a lot of pain in Harlow's face, and not just from her injury. She may be Kree, but there's something about her that makes me trust her sincerity in wanting to warn us. She has the look of someone who has had a pretty rough life, her gaze is almost haunting. I know that look all too well. My belief in her innocence and pure heart is furthered when Carol shows up at the base, smiling at the Kree woman.

"Kieran, what a pleasant surprise," Carol says as she walks into the room. She grips onto the woman's now only hand, giving her a look of respect I know Carol doesn't give to just anyone. "What brings you to earth?"

"You know her?" Sam asks. He's currently sitting on the arm of one of the lounge couches, Jade sitting right next to him, her hand in his.

Carol nods, explaining: "Kieran and I go way back. She saved my life, which could have meant death for her. Whatever reason she has for being here, I know it's well intentioned. She can be trusted."

"I've come here to warn you of an imminent attack on your planet." Kieran repeats to the now full room.

Carol, Thor, and the Guardians' holograms all tense up. We may know about the Kree and the threat they pose, but they are the ones who have had to deal with their tyranny for decades. They know the extent of destruction the Kree can create. We do not, but I have a feeling we're going to find out.

"The Kree are coming here?" Thor repeats, leaning against the hilt of his axe, Stormbreaker.

Harlow nods. "They will attack in three days. In Washington D.C, in London, and in Beijing. They are bringing everyone, their whole army. It's an invasion."

The room grows deadly silent. We all exchange looks, filled with emotions that cannot even begin to be deciphered. Shock, fear, anger, sorrow. All of that dialed up to a twelve. It's feelings I haven't felt since Thanos came here, since the last alien invasion on earth. I shudder just remembering it.

"Why?" Stephen asks, rubbing a hand over his goatee.

"Word has spread over these last few months of enhanced individuals, untrained and untapped, living on earth. Hundreds of them. The Kree have been trying to take over systems for centuries, they feel that with these enhanced humans, they could achieve universal domination."

"They must know that no human would willingly fight for them. We're too stubborn for that." Quill says, his voice filled with his usual sarcastic charm, but his eyes devoid of all humor.

"That's not how they plan to use the enhanced humans. They plan to capture them and harness their powers to use for themselves."

"How? With what?" I dare ask.

Kieran's eyes lock onto mine. "With you."

Another pause of silence, all eyes falling to me. Bucky, who is standing next to me behind one of the couches, slips his metal hand into mine. I don't know if he's trying to comfort me or himself. "M-me? What do you mean me?"

"Word has also spread of what you call the 'universal cure' for enhanced abilities. As we understand it, it was your blood that was used to create the cure. Your DNA's ability to change into anything it wants to, gives it the potential to transform into more than earthly animals. The Kree have the ambition, the technology, and the minds to alter your DNA and create a serum that will embed enhanced abilities into the blood of Kree soldiers. They believe with these enhanced abilities, they can finally take over the Nova Empire and any other world they want. You have no idea how powerful you are, Ms. Roberts. There is no other creature like you."

"What about the Skrulls? They could shapeshift." Valkyrie points out.

"The Skrulls could shift in appearance and access some of the person they shift into's memories, yes, but that is all. Ms. Roberts can shift and gain the power of whatever she shifts into."

"But I can only shift into earthen animals."

"That could change with very minimal effort." I glance at Bruce, remembering when he told me that all those years ago.

"Is it just me they're after, or my brother and my children too?" I ask, my voice coming out a little breathless. I don't know if I want to know the answer.

To my relief, Harlow shakes her head. "No, just you. The Kree believe that since you were the first shapeshifter, that your blood is the most pure. That is why your brother is not a target and especially why your children aren't. It is well known who their father is, the Kree see their blood as tainted."

"I'll try not to take offense to that." Bucky mutters. He's trying to lighten the tense air, but it's not working.

I glance at Alex and my kids. My brother is clutching onto Khari and Jo's hands in white knuckled grips, not looking relieved at all to hear that he's not a target. The kids don't look anymore at ease either. Livy is leaning her back against Zy's chest, his arms secured tightly around her waist, her face the epitome of fear. Stevie is leaning his head on Liam's shoulder, clutching onto his arm in fright.

"The Kree have had over two decades to come here. Why now?" Naomi asks, raising an excellent point.

Harlow, wincing as Shuri finishes dressing her severed hand, explains: "Earth proved itself a formidable opponent when the humans defeated Thanos. The Supreme Intelligence felt that the Avengers were too powerful to be defeated, and felt there was no benefit in trying to declare war on earth. But now most of the original Avengers are dead or of old age, and the enhanced are too valuable for the Kree to ignore the opportunity they present."

"Just when I think things can't get worse, the universe always finds a way to fuck us over more." Alex mutters.

"I want to know why a member of the Kree would betray her entire race and warn us about this." Ana says suddenly. She's been leaning against the wall of the lounge, away from everyone else, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I have always been against the Kree's ideals of universal domination and expansion of power. When I learned of their plan to use the enhanced humans I knew that they had to be stopped. If they succeed...I can't bare to think what will happen." Harlow replies gravely, glancing down at her severed hand. Carol is staring at the injury as well, clarity rolling over her features. Clarity over what, I don't know.

"Without me, the other enhanced don't mean anything to the Kree. They need my blood if they want to use them, so I'm the main target in this invasion?" I ask, trying to take in a deep breath, but finding my lungs incapable of drawing any air.

Harlow gives me a pitying nod. "The order given to all the Kree soldiers is to take control of earth, capture you dead or alive, then extract the enhanced from the planet to be processed on Hala, our home world."

"They won't get to you," Bucky assures me, his jaw clenching, his eyes focused on only me. "We won't let them."

"We need a plan in case they do," I begin, stepping away from Bucky, walking over towards where Carol stands next to Harlow. "They want me dead or alive, so if I am killed or captured, I want you to promise me you will use your powers to obliterate me."

"Why me?" Carol asks quietly.

"I can't have Jade blow me up or Wanda tear me apart or anyone else do this. If there is even part of my DNA left the Kree could use it to hurt millions of innocent people. But even if that weren't the case, you're the only one who will bury your feelings and do what needs to be done. I need you to promise me, Carol, that if something happens to me and you can't get to me, that you'll blast me with your powers so hard that there will not be any ashes left of me."

Carol nods her head gravely. "You have my word. I will do what needs to be done if it comes to that."

"Which it won't," Bucky insists, his fists tightening at his sides. "You aren't going to be captured, you're not going to die."

"I could, Buck. This isn't some fight against HYDRA or the government. This is an alien invasion. Remember the last time an alien invasion happened? You and trillions of other people died. Thanos was after the infinity stones, the Kree are after me. Just like last time, we're going to do our best to hide what the alien army is after, but we need to prepare for the worst. We didn't last time and look where that left us. The destruction Thanos caused is still affecting the universe today, and I'd rather be reduced to atoms than be the tool used to create any more damage."

"Kill me, too," Alex all of the sudden pipes up, making all eyes now go to him. "The Kree may not want me now, but they could if you're made unavailable to them. Kinda like buying a knock of version of whatever you wanted to buy at the store."

An interesting analogy when talking about someone's own demise.

"Alex-" I begin, but my brother cuts me off with a sad smile and a shrug.

"We've always been in this together, sis. The Kree lady is right, our blood is very powerful, and we can't let that power get into the wrong hands. If you die, I'll die, too. Danvers, promise me that."

Carol nods, repeating: "I'll do it if it comes to that."

I half expect Khari to chime in like Bucky did, promise that things won't come to that. But he doesn't. Khari was here for the aftermath of Thanos, was here for those five years of hell we had to endure. He knows it's necessary to plan for every alternative. You never know when the world as you know it will change, we had to learn that the hard way.

"Okay now that we have the plan for your deaths decided, can we make up the plan for how to prevent your deaths?" Jo asks a little curtly, gripping onto Alex's hand like her life depends on it.

"We will, but first we need to alert the council," Sam says with a sigh. "We need to prepare the rest of the world for invasion."

Naomi nods, her hands on her hips, her hologram pacing back and forth. "After what you said to them today, they're not going to be happy about this."

Good point. We just threatened to undermine them in order to help stop the Kree from taking over other planets, and now we're going to tell them the Kree are coming here, and that they're coming here for the enhanced. It will certainly be a pleasant conversation.

Zy kisses the side of Livy's head and steps away from her, giving a reassuring nod to Naomi. "The council are never happy about anything. But we'll get them to listen. We have to."

"Suzzie!" I yell, hearing footsteps run into the lounge, our assistant looking a little panicked as she enters the room.

"Yes?"

"Alert the council that we are calling an emergency session. Can you also get Ms. Harlow some paper and a pen? She needs to lay out what the Kree forces look like and what their battle plan is, then we'll decide how best to stop them."

"And maybe get some coffee too. It's going to be a rough night." Sam adds.

Suzzie splits herself into three, then nods her heads, scrambling off to complete her given tasks. She really is the best assistant. I turn to Sam, finding him already by my side. "Shall we?"

He sighs, trying his best to smile. "After you, Director."

-

Jade

As soon as Kieran Harlow said that the enhanced are who the Kree are after...I froze. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, couldn't believe that this is what's actually happening. All this time we've been discussing the threat the Kree pose on the universe, but I never thought that that threat would come knocking on our door. Maybe because I didn't want to believe it was possible, maybe because I hoped we would start to have some semblance of normalcy.

This is all my fault. I failed everyone when I couldn't the enhanced from being created, couldn't stop the pain and suffering these hundreds of people have endured. I killed dozens of people without mercy, that day and many other days before it. I killed my own parents, served two corrupt governments, couldn't stop the people I care most about from being hurt. That's enough to make anyone go mad with guilt. But not me. Guilt is my old friend, the only constant I've had in my life. And now I feel it more than ever before. If I had succeeded in stopping PROJECT ENHANCED that day, none of this would be happening right now. Those people would be safe, happy, not having to live with the threat of the Kree hanging over their heads.

I can hear the shouting from the World Security Council meeting from here in the lounge. The world leaders aren't happy. I hear several names being thrown around, nothing any enhanced person hasn't heard before. I can hear Soroya and Sam pleading for the council to listen, hear Zy'aire try to reason with them to calm down. I don't hear Naomi though, she's been rather quiet. I don't blame her. She's spent over half her life trying to protect the enhanced, trying to save them. And now an alien army is coming to take them all away. She must be heartbroken. I think we all are.

"How are you holding up?" Bucky asks me as he takes a seat next to me on the couch. He's been over by our other teammates and Kieran Harlow planning out our battle strategy. According to her, the Kree army will have troops on the ground and in the skies. Their main objectives during the battle will be finding Soroya and taking over the government buildings in all three cities. Harlow says that the Kree mean to take over earth in order to take the enhanced. They don't realize that the governments of the world would happily give up the enhanced in order to ensure the safety of everyone else. Hopefully the threat of world domination will finally make those bastards listen.

"About as well as everyone else, I suppose," I answer, leaning my shoulder against his. "You?"

"I'm terrified," Bucky whispers in response. "This is worse than how it felt when Thanos last came."

I was lucky enough not to have perished during the blip. Back then I was wandering around from place to place, trying to stay away from everyone, not wanting to hurt anyone. I remember feeling sad about what had happened, but I was very unaffected by it. I had no one, I had nothing to lose. It's strange to think that Sam had died, that he was completely gone for five whole years. He met me a few months after he came back to life. If the Avengers hadn't defeated Thanos a second time, we may never have met. I wouldn't have him or any of the others. Makes me think about how much has changed since that isolated and lonely time in my life. I have so much to lose now, we all do.

I feel like Bucky understands that. He knows what it's like to go from having nothing to having everything. That's why he's so terrified now, because the Kree are threatening to take away the woman he loves, his whole world. In three days, when the Kree come, everyone we love could be stripped away from us. He and I could once again be all alone. I shudder at the thought.

"We won't let this happen," I assure him. "We won't lose."

He links his fingers with mine, nodding his head as if assuring himself the same thing. "No, we won't."