章 10: 10. New-Mexico.
Overcoming any distance is easy when you're a four-meter-tall human torpedo with phenomenal defenses. Goliath, as he's aptly named, is capable of performing absurd feats thanks to his special abilities. Remarkably, he grows stronger every day.
One moment, Goliath was in New York; the next, he was in the desert area of New Mexico. He covered the distance in two colossal jumps, landing right next to a temporary field laboratory set up by SHIELD to study an unknown object. His arrival sent dust billowing into the air, creating a spectacular, albeit messy, entrance.
With no one around and no buildings in sight, Goliath didn't hold back. His landing left behind a sizable crater, a testament to his immense power.
"Shit," Goliath muttered, surveying the scene. He dusted off his white pants and adjusted his visor, transforming it into goggles to shield his eyes from the bright sunlight. The warm rays beat down on him, but he felt at ease in his favorite oversized Hawaiian shirt, its short sleeves flapping in the gentle breeze.
Nearby, a small structure caught Goliath's eye. Small for him, at least—it was a tent the size of a two-story house. Surrounding it was an iron fence, undoubtedly electrified by SHIELD, with iron watchtowers positioned inside the perimeter. On these towers, armed guards trained their guns on him.
Goliath squinted, noticing a man in a robe using binoculars atop one of the towers. They must have been alarmed by his dramatic arrival; after all, a crater doesn't form quietly.
"I hoped Nick would warn them," he muttered. Ignoring the guns aimed at him, he took a step closer.
The man with the binoculars stepped back and shouted to the other agents. Almost instantly, they lowered their weapons. "So you did warn them. Very good," Goliath nodded to himself. The man in the robe was likely the lead scientist. There was no need to enhance his hearing to eavesdrop; regular bullets couldn't harm Goliath, and he didn't need to concern himself with their chatter.
"Still, SHIELD's speed in constructing these facilities is impressive," he remarked quietly.
As Goliath approached the structure, the warm and pleasant sun bathed him in light, creating a stark contrast to the now-silent building. Moments earlier, it had been buzzing with activity, but his presence brought everything to a halt. The agents who had previously pointed their guns at him now stared in astonishment, their mouths agape.
Thomas, known to the world as Goliath, looked up slightly, seeing the soldiers clearly through his tinted glasses. Their mouths were closed, but their eyes—hidden behind their own glasses—were wide with shock. To them, he appeared as a light-haired titan quietly assessing the scene.
Whispers reached his ears:
"It's him..."
"Fuck, he's so huge..."
"Look at those muscles. Does he eat bulls for breakfast?"
These murmurs amused Thomas, bringing a slight smile to his face. Their candid comments about his size and strength cheered him up. As he listened, he heard hurried footsteps and urgent voices at the lab's entrance.
"Hurry up, John! Goliath himself is waiting for you. Hurry the fuck up, we can't piss him off!"
"Shut up, Steve, I'm running! Huff... Huff..."
Thomas assumed these must be scientists, clearly anxious about his arrival. Their frantic tone suggested fear, though he hoped it was merely professional caution. He preferred to be met with respect rather than fear, having spent his life proving he wasn't a monster. Yet, he knew he couldn't please everyone.
Pausing for a moment, Goliath allowed the sun's warmth to envelop him as he waited, reflecting on the varied reactions he encountered wherever he went.
Almost always, the more disgruntled reactions came from the older generation. To them, even a man who had spent 17 years defending the country from all sorts of troubles would be considered a freak. Goliath was literally an isolated incident out of 8 billion people.
He frowned, the smile fading from his face. Thomas had a knack for ruining his own mood. "Me and my damn ability to think faster than the average person. And here they come," he muttered.
A man with gray hair, wearing a white lab coat, came running from the lab straight toward him, over the electrified fence. His faint stubble and the dimples under his eyes spoke volumes about his experience and fatigue. It was clear he wasn't an exercise enthusiast, judging by his puffiness.
"Welcome, Mr. Goliath... Huff... I'm Dr. Waybright, and I'm here to welcome you to our temporary laboratory... Huff... I apologize, we didn't expect you to show up so soon..."
Goliath shook his head slightly. "It's all right, Doctor. You needn't worry. I'm only here to take a look at the subject, that's all."
"Yes, Director Fury warned us about this, so please follow me," Dr. Waybright said quickly, glancing up at Thomas. The fence opened up in front of them, allowing Goliath and the doctor to pass through. Dr. Waybright, hoping Goliath might have some information about the facility, led the way.
Suddenly, a sharp jolt came from the lab, followed by a loud thud like a thunderbolt. There were no clouds or anything to explain it, and the sound abruptly stopped. But then there was another sound, an unknown one, gaining momentum.
*SNAP*
*THUNDER*
"Watch out!" Goliath shouted, reaching for the doctor. Dr. Waybright only had time to exclaim, "Whoa!" before finding himself in Goliath's hand.
"WHAT WAS THAT?! IS IT THE OBJECT?!" the doctor shouted, managing to catch a glimpse of something flying past him. He barely had time to examine it before it disappeared to the side.
Realizing he was in Goliath's hand like a toy, the doctor felt a surge of fear, but fortunately, Goliath put him down gently.
"I know where it's going, and I must hurry. Thank you for your cooperation, Dr. Waybright." Placing the doctor back on the ground, Goliath turned and prepared for a mighty leap to chase after the object.
*Hop*
"But I didn't do anything..." the doctor muttered, watching the huge hero move swiftly away from the lab.
***
Thomas transitioned from jumping to running, finding it easier to maneuver this way. The hammer was heading straight for Thor, who was in a weakened state from his battle with the Destroyer Armor—a battle, if it could even be called that, given its one-sided nature. Thomas knew the story, understood the stakes, and was aware that Loki was controlling the armor.
The distance between Goliath and the hammer was short, and he took a moment to enhance his vision, zooming in on the scene ahead.
"The city from the movie. We're close," he thought, maintaining his speed.
Thomas didn't attempt to grab the hammer, knowing it was bound for its master. There was a 99% chance it would continue its flight, and the other 1%? Nothing would happen. He certainly wasn't worthy of Mjolnir, but maybe one day, he'd try to lift it if the opportunity arose.
As they neared the city, Thomas saw smoke rising—Loki had already wreaked havoc. He frowned, hoping no one was hurt and it was just property damage.
"Make the landing right on target. V-1, calculate one jump from here to the center of that small town ahead!" he shouted, addressing the computer in his goggles. The calculation was instantaneous.
He took a deep breath, bracing himself. With a resounding shout, "YAGH!" he leaped straight for the town center, aiming to land close enough to strike first, if not directly on the Destroyer Armor.
"This armor is incredibly strong. Perhaps it's time to get a little serious."
For the first time in a long while, Goliath's eyes turned golden.
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