Chapter 6: Jack of Hearts

Rounding the corner and walking another few hundred meters, Noah finally understood what the group earlier had been running from.

The massive head of the Statue of Liberty was wedged into a Starbucks café. The severed edge of the head faced the two of them, exposing a chaotic tangle of wires and metallic components inside, an incomplete and shattered state on full display.

Its eyes had lost their former brilliance, one of them shattered into fragments, as if silently narrating the torment the statue had endured. The corners of its mouth were heavily damaged, twisted into a grotesque, distorted smile.

From the marks left by the collision, it was evident that the head had experienced intense friction and impact during its fall.

The bronze surface bore scorch marks, a stark contrast to its once-smooth appearance, now marred and dull.

The force of the impact had naturally taken its toll on the Starbucks building. Its second floor had completely collapsed, and the large glass windows had shattered into countless sharp fragments, glinting coldly like diamonds under the sunlight.

The destruction had come so suddenly. The interior of the café was in utter chaos—overturned tables and chairs, shattered porcelain scattered everywhere, and the coffee machine sputtering with strained noises.

Yet the aroma of coffee still lingered in the air, mingling with the scents of dust and shattered materials, forming an odd and chaotic medley.

"What happened here?"

Noah surveyed the scene, kicking aside half of a broken sign. The mermaid emblem was mostly gone, leaving only a fragment of the crown behind.

"It's probably Jack of Hearts," said Pietro, slung over Noah's shoulder, his expression heavy. "Just earlier, Fury told me that Jack sacrificed himself while fighting that falling creature."

"I'd say he did sacrifice himself… but not entirely."

Noah's gaze shifted, catching sight of a familiar figure amidst the rubble.

It was Jack of Hearts—an Avenger, albeit not the most indispensable one. Yet now, his body was blown apart, leaving only his upper half buried under the wreckage.

When Noah stepped closer, an unsettling aura immediately pervaded the air. Jack of Hearts had been infected, transformed into a zombie. His eyes had lost their usual spark, replaced by a crazed hunger.

"Flesh… must have flesh…"

Noah frowned deeply, stepping back to maintain his distance from the mutilated corpse.

Judging from Pietro's words, Jack had likely been infected during his battle with the Sentry and had tried to self-destruct, only to survive with half his body intact.

"So hungry… You! Let me take a bite!"

Jack's upper body struggled free from the rubble, the broken mechanical components in his body screeching as they shifted. He let out a low growl, wild and ravenous, baring sharp teeth as he lunged toward Noah.

But with only his upper half remaining, his movements were clumsy and unstable. He immediately lost his balance, crashing to the ground with a dull thud.

Even so, Jack tenaciously crawled forward, disregarding the pain and damage to his body. His mechanical limbs scraped against the ground with an ear-piercing grind as he dragged himself closer to Noah.

Noah raised his gun steadily, showing no hesitation as he faced the zombified Jack of Hearts. He pulled the trigger with practiced precision.

The sharp crack of the gunshot shattered the silence. The bullet tore through the air, flying straight toward Jack's head.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Then, with a deafening blast, the bullet hit its mark. Jack's head exploded in a violent burst, scattering brain matter and fragments in all directions.

The sheer force of the impact obliterated Jack's skull, leaving behind a gory mess of shattered bones and exposed tissue.

As a hero, Jack's abilities had always required equipment to control their volatile nature. Now, Noah's bullet acted as a catalyst, triggering a catastrophic chain reaction.

In his final moments, Jack's eyes reflected pain and despair. His body collapsed lifelessly to the ground, unable to move anymore.

The remains of his head and the blood pooling around it created a horrifying scene, grotesque and surreal. Jack's twisted, mangled corpse resembled a nightmare given form.

Even in death, his body did not fully rest. Tiny explosions continued to spark within his chest cavity, causing the remains to twitch and tremble unnaturally.

From the depths of Jack's broken chest came a series of faint, popping sounds. Shattered ribs and decaying tissues emitted flickers of light, like sparks flaring in the darkness.

Noah stepped back again, wary of the small detonations erupting within Jack's corpse. These seemed to stem from the energy that had once fueled Jack's heroic abilities.

Each minor explosion released a faint energy pulse, making the broken remains shudder violently.

Jack's limbs twitched uncontrollably under the impact of the blasts, as if he were still fighting for survival.

"So, this is what becoming a zombie looks like?"

Pietro, slung over Noah's shoulder, looked down at Jack's corpse and the unsettling chain of explosions. His face reflected a mix of shock and fear, his eyes wide as he stared at the unbelievable sight.

He could feel the faint energy pulses from Jack's body—the disturbing sensation coursed through him.

What struck Pietro the most was the significance of those small explosions.

They were remnants of a hero's power, lingering in the body even after death. But why was the aftermath so terrifying?

A look of fear crossed Pietro's face as he shuddered involuntarily. He stared intently at Jack's twisted, spasming remains, unable to believe his eyes.

He suddenly realized he had faced similar dangers himself. Could he, too, end up like that? The world was plunging into chaos, even for heroes.

This world, as someone had recently said, was spiraling toward destruction.

"You said earlier you shot me to stop me from becoming a zombie?"

"I did."

"I believe you now."