Location: Skywatch Station Command Center Time: 07:00 GMT
Seven days. That was all the time Earth had before Root Protocol would trigger.
Henri stood before the holographic map, eyes scanning live updates. Triangulation signals flickered over Eastern Europe, Asia, South America. Too many signals. Too many unknown system users rising from nowhere.
> System Notice: Global Sync Surge: +12% in 24 Hours Admin Response Level: Tier VI Predicted
Eyla leaned against the console. "We can't track all of them. We don't have enough people."
Sorin nodded. "We need more than allies now. We need other synced teams."
---
Forging the Global Alliance
Henri opened the encrypted comms line reserved for extreme emergencies. Calls went out to:
Black Panther, Wakanda
Spider-Man, New York
Captain Marvel, Deep Space Relay
Doctor Strange, Kamar-Taj
Within hours, responses came in.
Strange appeared via portal inside the command center, eyes tired but alert.
"The dimensions are already fluctuating," Strange said. "Reality is thinning across the multiverse edges. It's not just your system. It's bigger than that."
Henri grit his teeth. "Root Protocol... it's connected to everything."
---
Multi-Team Sync Plan
By midnight, the command center was filled with faces Henri never thought he'd lead.
T'Challa
Peter Parker
Carol Danvers
Wong and Kamar-Taj mages
Henri projected a 3D model of the Root Core estimated location.
"Our best guess puts it under the Ural Mountains," Henri explained. "A buried satellite city. Abandoned since the Cold War. That's where we'll hit first."
Sorin laid out battle group assignments. Eyla reviewed logistics. Doctor Strange mapped out dimensional anchor points.
For the first time, Henri felt like Earth wasn't fighting alone.
---
Unexpected Arrival: The Shadow Team
Just as final plans were locking in, the station's alarms blared.
> Warning: Unauthorized Teleport Detected.
In a flash of dark-blue light, six figures materialized in the center of the room.
All wore sleek armor. No helmets. Scarred faces. Sync signatures blazing in crimson.
Their leader stepped forward. Tall, pale-skinned, eyes glowing faint blue.
> System Alert: Faction Identified: Shadow Team - Rogue System Enforcers
Henri tensed. "Who are you?"
The leader smiled calmly.
"We're here to help you save the world... and maybe break it too."