Sorcerer in the Marvel Universe

"If that’s the case... then that changes things."

The Ancient One considered the situation carefully.

Evenson’s friend wasn’t supposed to die. Mephisto had forcibly taken his soul and was using it as leverage, which explained why his body was still alive. If that was the situation, returning the soul to its rightful body seemed perfectly reasonable.

More importantly, even if Mephisto abandoned the deal, the power Locke had stolen would eventually return to him anyway. That was what the demon cared about most. On top of that, he would gain a soul that had never belonged to him in the first place.

The more the Ancient One thought about it, the more obvious her decision became.

She absolutely could not let the devil profit from this.

Unfortunately, she didn’t know that Evenson hadn’t exactly lied to her.

He had simply left out one rather important detail.

Coulson’s body was indeed alive now.

Before that, however, he had genuinely been dead for a while.

Someone had simply forced him back to life.

"But judging by the situation, your part of the bargain isn’t going to be easy to fulfill," the Ancient One said.

Now that they were on the same side, she had identified the biggest problem.

Neither of them could open a portal to Hell.

So how exactly were they supposed to send Locke back?

"Devil contracts have always been notoriously difficult to fulfill." Evenson smiled faintly. "Fortunately, I planned for that in advance."

He paused before explaining.

"To be honest, asking whether you knew how to open a portal to Hell was a spur-of-the-moment idea. I really hoped you’d say yes. It would have saved me a lot of trouble. Unfortunately, I have two other options."

He held up a finger.

"One is troublesome."

Then another.

"And the other is something I really, really don’t want to use."

Evenson wasn’t the kind of person who prepared everything perfectly only to discover he had forgotten the final step.

He had already made plans.

He had even given them a suitably impressive name.

The Send Locke Home Plan.

It was, in his opinion, a masterpiece of strategic thinking.

"Would you care to tell me what those plans are?" the Ancient One asked, curiosity creeping into her voice.

"Heh."

Evenson glanced toward the vehicle where Danny was still unconscious.

Then he looked up.

A S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier was descending from the sky, slowly dropping toward them.

"My plan has arrived."

The aircraft settled into position overhead.

The doors opened, and Melinda May led the strike team out.

Evenson immediately walked toward her.

"You know, I’ve always wondered about something," he said dramatically. "Why is it that whenever something happens, whether it’s S.H.I.E.L.D., the military, the police, or some other government agency, you people always seem to arrive after everything is already over?"

May gave him an utterly unimpressed look and walked straight past him.

She stopped beside Locke.

The demon looked half-dead, his face shriveled until it resembled little more than a skull wrapped in dried meat.

May grimaced.

"Demons really are ugly."

"To be fair, he was probably presentable before this," Evenson said, waving a hand dismissively. "He pushed his body beyond its limits while using his power. This is what happens when you turn yourself into supernatural jerky."

"Then we can finally finish the mission."

May was clearly eager to be done with it. The operation had dragged on far too long, and her patience was running thin.

"Almost." Evenson rolled his neck. "There’s one last step. And I’m going to need some help with it."

His gaze settled on Johnny Blaze.

"Johnny, I need you to open a portal to Hell so I can throw this guy through it."

"Me?"

Johnny pointed at himself, staring at Evenson as though the man had just suggested he moonlight as an astronaut.

"You’re kidding, right? I’m not the Ghost Rider anymore. What makes you think I can do something like that?"

"Then become the Ghost Rider again."

A cold smile appeared on Evenson’s face.

Johnny’s expression darkened instantly.

"You really are joking."

His voice hardened.

"I am not becoming the Ghost Rider again. I finally got my soul back. I finally found redemption. I am never accepting that curse again."

He glared at Evenson.

"Especially not for you."

Johnny remembered their history perfectly well.

His relationship with Evenson could best be described as unpleasant.

Then more unpleasant.

Then somehow even more unpleasant.

Every time they crossed paths, Johnny was the one who suffered. He had been humiliated, manipulated, used as bait, and nearly drained of everything he had.

He had no intention of volunteering for another round.

"This time, you wouldn’t be helping me." Evenson’s voice became strangely meaningful.

"You’d be helping yourself."

"Hmph."

Johnny snorted and shook his head.

He clearly didn’t believe a word of it.

"Got your soul back? Found redemption?"

Evenson looked around at everyone, wearing an expression of genuine amusement.

"That may be the funniest thing I’ve heard all day."

His expression suddenly sharpened.

He pointed at Johnny.

"From the moment you made that deal, your soul belonged to Mephisto. That much is beyond dispute. And because you broke the contract, he has absolutely no reason to return it."

Evenson tapped his own chest.

"You lost the Ghost Rider’s power. You did not reclaim your soul."

Johnny’s face tightened.

"You’re still able to function because of him."

Evenson pointed toward Danny.

Nadia was carefully checking the boy’s injuries. The instant she realized Evenson was pointing at Danny, she pulled the unconscious child tightly against her chest protectively.

"The Ghost Rider’s power is still inside him. That’s why you’re functioning normally."

Evenson’s voice remained calm.

"But what happens if you get too far away from him?"

He shrugged.

"Suppose the kid crosses the Atlantic. Or, God forbid, he dies someday."

Johnny’s expression changed.

"You’re finished."

Evenson gave him a grim smile.

"And when that happens, calling you a vegetable would be generous."

"A body without a soul is a miserable thing. You wouldn’t even retain basic reflexes. You might have a faint heartbeat, but your respiratory system would stop working."

He paused.

"Without specialized equipment keeping you alive, you’d suffocate within minutes."

Johnny stared at Danny.

"Then... then I’ll stay with them."

The words came out quickly.

Almost too quickly.

Johnny sounded confident, but there was a noticeable lack of conviction underneath it.

Evenson’s eyes narrowed.

"Then perhaps you’d like to hear my other option."

Something sharp and calculating flashed in his gaze.

Johnny immediately felt that this was going somewhere he wouldn’t like.

Still, he forced himself to maintain a straight face.

"I’m listening."

"Opening a portal connected to Hell isn’t actually beyond my abilities." Evenson shrugged. "The problem is that I don’t have Hell’s magical coordinates. And nobody on the other side is answering my spell."

He continued before anyone could interrupt.

"But if I had a suitable sacrifice, someone carrying a massive amount of Hell’s power, I could analyze that power and use it to determine Hell’s coordinates."

His gaze shifted toward Danny.

"Those same energies would also draw a response from the demons on the other side. If everything lines up, I should be able to open a portal directly into Hell."

Evenson smiled.

"A sacrifice like that is difficult to find."

He gestured toward the boy.

"Fortunately, we happen to have one right here."

His eyes settled on Danny.

"The Son of Satan."

"Evenson!"

May’s shout cut through the air.

She had never heard him suggest anything like this before.

Using Danny as bait had already been bad enough.

Now he wanted to use the kid as a sacrifice.

"Shut up."

Evenson’s response was immediate and utterly uncompromising.

He gave May no room to argue.

At the same time, Rumlow moved to restrain Nadia before she could grab Danny and run.

"But Coulson would never agree to this," May said anyway.

"I imagine he wouldn’t."

Evenson turned toward her.

"He’s a good man."

Then his expression hardened.

"But Coulson is also an agent. When you assign a mission to another agent, do you ask whether they’re willing to accept the assignment?"

May fell silent.

Johnny stared at Evenson with clenched teeth.

"You’re seriously willing to sacrifice that kid?"

"You forced my hand."

Evenson shook his head.

"But if you accept my proposal, I’ll be more than happy to abandon this option."

Johnny’s face twisted.

"You think I’m going to sacrifice myself for this kid?"

"Self-sacrifice is usually the first step toward redemption."

Evenson shrugged.

"Isn’t that what you wanted?"

Johnny’s fists tightened.

"Besides, at this point, we’re talking about whether one person dies or two."

Evenson spread his hands.

"You sacrifice yourself and save the kid."

His eyes hardened.

"Or both of you are finished."

Johnny stared at him.

Evenson smiled.

"Believe me. I can do it."

The Ancient One and Clea watched the exchange with deeply furrowed brows.

It wasn’t entirely because Evenson was being particularly ruthless.

There was something else.

The entire scene felt strangely familiar.

The Ancient One slowly rubbed her bald head.

The last time this man had confronted her, hadn’t he used exactly the same kind of bluffing and intimidation?

Apparently, some things never changed.

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