HELLO TO ALL! Sorry to have kept you waiting. I needed a break from writing; also I've been working hard and I got myself sick over the last couple days. Not fun. However, I was able to write this chapter while I was on vacation. So, you're welcome for that! This was indeed a long chapter to put together and I hope you enjoy it. So, enough talk! Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the next chapter!

Meanwhile, somewhere in deep space on a militaristic spaceship far off in the galaxy, a Skrull spaceship was sailing smoothly past the Milky Way while a couple of Skrull spacecraft ships were guarding the mothership from the outside. Inside the Skrull mothership, A Skrull soldier pushed his way through the rotating door of the main entrance and paused on the landing that looked out over the expansive lobby. It was a vast gathering space that was forever humming with activity and chatter and heavy boots thudding across the enormous P inset into the center of the floor. Skrulls in their purple and shady uniforms passed each other with high-tech weapons and mingled in their own Skrull language. Most Skrulls rushed between various departments, gathered in groups, stared at the screens that lined the walls as they replaced scenes from Skrull soldiers going undercover as different species again and again.

The Skrull soldier continued to walk pass the crowd of his chattering race until he reached the main headquarters. The high-tech doors opened up showing a shady but unidentified creature looking out the window watching the depths of space.

The Skrull soldier stopped only a few feet away and bowed his head.

"Captain," said the Skrull soldier

(CAPTAIN MAKING A 'HMM' SOUND)

"Is everything in readiness?" The Captain asked

The Skrull solider nodded, "Yes, we got your machinery all fixed up and ready for experimentation, sir. When would you like to begin?"

"Right away. Sooner the better," the Captain replied

"Sir, I also have some unpleasant news to report" said the Skrull solider

"Unpleasant?" The Captain asked

"Unfortunately yes" said the Skrull soldier, "Even though we got the Terran scientists help build your machine, they still refuse to tell us any location on where the Eternity Forge is"

"Continue to interrogate them. No need to be nice" the Captain ordered

"Sir, I must inform that these Terrans aren't the normal kind to negotiate" said the Skrull soldier

"Indeed, I know. But everyone tends to break," said the Captain. "Even if you must do it the painful way"

"Very well, Captain" said the Skrull solider. "I shall do so at once"

"Good," said the Captain, "One more thing...have your troops got any whereabouts of their Terran child?"

The Skrull solider shook his head, "Not a trace, sir. This kid...is like a ghost. He's been able to stay off our grid for two weeks now"

The Captain stroked his wrinkled chin in curiosity.

"Their son is a clever one. But not everyone can hide forever. Tell your men to continue searching. If you pick up something you will report it to me at once. Understood?" The Captain ordered

The Skrull soldier nodded, "Yes, Captain"

The Captain nodded but refused to face the soldier, "Dismiss"

The Skrull soldier bowed his head and turned to exit the headquarters. The Captain continued gazing out into dark space chuckling under his wrinkled breath with an evil smile.

"You can run but you can't hide from me...young Mr. Palmer"

(CAPTAIN STARTS LAUGHING EVILLY)

The scene goes back down to Earth right in front of a Burger King restaurant. The trio were seen eating outside under an umbrella. Groot was drinking water from a silver watering-can used to water flowers while Grey was eating a Double Cheeseburger with French Fries and medium-sized Coca-Cola. The young boy's face was full of joy and relief tasting the hot, steamed, and delicious goodness of a well-cooked meal down his esophagus that brought satisfaction to his empty belly.

As for Rocket...well...he was seen digging through the garbage cans scouting for food to find for himself. Grey watched while sipping his medium-sized beverage, confusingly. As for some of the people who were eating watched the scene with IPhones pulled out and making videos of the scene. After all, Rocket was a raccoon. No matter how much the word bothered him, he was still a raccoon. A raccoon who always loves to eat trash. Disgusting isn't it?

After digging through wrappers and scraps, Rocket was able to find something fresh in the garbage can...a half-eaten, four day, year-old Double Quarter Pound Burger. The raccoonoid sniffed it with delight and licked his lips. Soon Rocket started chewing away putting the entire nasty burger in his mouth.

"Rat!"

"Disgusting!"

"Gross!"

"What are those things, daddy?"

"Miscreants, I suppose, honey"

"I think I'm gonna barf!"

"I think I'm gonna eat at home for a while"

"I think I'm gonna call the health department on this"

"Let's get outta here!"

"You said it!"

"Screw this place!"

"Their food is never good here, anyway"

Customers were already jumping out of their seats, leaving their food untouched and uneaten. The raccoonoid snickered with a mouth-full of rotten burger in his mouth.

"That's fine! More for us, then" Rocket called out, "Don't expect to give us any bills, flarknards"

"I' am Groot" Groot said, while sipping his drink

"Whose side you on, Groot?" Rocket said, "It's not like we're staying on this planet for life. We got a ride home, remember? So stop worrying so much"

"I' am Groot" Groot replied back

"Uhh, guys…I'd be more worried about keeping yourselves out of trouble" Grey informed, looking at his cell phone

"Relax, kid," Rocket said, sitting back with his boots on the table. "It's not like your people care so much about us anyway"

"Maybe not, but...the media sure does" Grey confirmed, holding his phone

"What are you talking about?" Rocket questioned

"I' am Groot?" Groot asked

"You're famous, wise guys," Grey announced

The boy held his phone towards the raccoonoid's face showing him live footage of him and Groot blowing up a policeman's car and kidnapping him off the streets. Rocket's face fell in shock while Groot smiled and clapped his hands seeing himself on the news.

Rocket slapped his disconcertingly human-like hand over his furry forehead, with a frustrated sigh. "Oh, you've got to be shitting me"

"I' am Groot!" Groot said joyously

Rocked made another frustrated sigh, "No! No, being famous is absolutely not fun, you stupid twig!"

"I' am Groot" Groot said

"Not helping, Groot" Rocket replied, "NOT HELPING AT ALL!"

"I' am Groot" Groot said

"Just ZIP IT!" Rocket said, before turning to Grey with the look of ferocity in his eyes.

"What are you looking at me for? I'm not the one who posted it all over the Internet" Grey assured the raccoonoid

"You lousy brat, of course it's posted all over the Internet. Probably for the whole world to see now!" Rocket yelled heatedly

"We have technology for a reason, Rocket" Grey said

"And why should you have it? You're supposed to be mindless Earth Monkey's, aren't ya?!" Rocket replied, agitatedly

"We're in 2023, genius" Grey replied back, "We're not cavemen on this planet anymore"

"I like to think your kind stayed that way: eating stones for soup, clonking each other with sticks, and sniffing their neighbors butts like dogs. There should be a movie called: HUMANS UNDEVELOPED: THE MOVIE" Rocket teased

"Too bad you can't reverse time and change the past" Grey teased back, "Not that time machines exist in my world"

(ROCKET EVIL LAUGHING)

"Kid, I've spent the last five years on Earth working with the Avengers, and we were able to pull it off and bring every single one of you krutacks back from the ashes. Including my own team" Rocket told him

"Well, you didn't bring me back from the dead. I was still alive back then" Grey confirmed

Rocket's face fell from smiling to down-straight annoyed, "Lucky you, lucky you, lucky you"

"I' am Groot" Groot replied

Rocket turned to a Groot furiously, "If you got anything better to say, why don't ya drink more of that water and see if your brain starts developing better"

(GROOT STICKS HIS TONGUE OUT AT ROCKET)

"No, he's right, Groot. This is serious" Grey said, "You're both all over the media and you're not safe"

(ROCKET BLOWS RASPBERRY)

Grey rose a brow at the raccoonoid who was chuckling to himself. "Don't tell me you're not a little bit worried about this"

"Kiddo, Groot and I have been outlaws for a long time. Well, maybe not on Earth so much but the big picture is: nobody cares that we're here. To them, it'll be a forgotten memory in the past. Who will notice?" Rocket said

"FREEZE!"

The trio quickly turned to face a cop who was aiming a gun at the threesome. Groot raised his wood-like arms into the air while Rocket studied the man; who looked very familiar to him in some way. Grey, however, recognized the man from his own memory and his eyes lowered him boredom over his glasses.

"Oh no, not this clown again" Grey muttered

"Who the hell is this guy?" Rocket asked

"YOU THREE! DON'T MOVE! By the authority of Detective Alec Joseph Quail, I order you to get down on your knees with your hands up!" Quail demanded

(GREY CHUCKLES)

"Officers don't say their full name in public, stupid" Grey confirmed

"Yes they do" Quail confirmed

"No, you just made that up in your head" Grey said back

"Don't correct me, Palmer. I will not have you embarrass me in front of the space aliens!" Quail responded back

"I' am Groot?" Groot said

Quail took a step back, looking at the teenage flora colossus with bewilderment, "Well, I'll be damned...you speak my language. I' am Detective Quail, thank you very much, and you're under..."

(ROCKET LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY)

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry...your name is...is Quail?" Rocket asked, trying to hold his laughter

"That's right" Quail answered

Rocket couldn't hold it and he burst out into laughing again...

(ROCKET LAUGHING MANIACALLY)

"Now that's more dumber than saying Quill!" Rocket laughed

(ROCKET CONTINUED LAUGHING BEFORE GROOT JOINED ALONG WITH HIS FURRY FATHER-FIGURE)

Quail stood feeling offended seeing the space outlaws laugh at his own name. Grey avoided eye contact and continued to finish his drink.

"Hey-Hey-HEY! I said you're under arrest! Get down on your knees!" Quail ordered, moving forward and still aiming his gun at them

"Or what? You'll shoot?" Rocket asked, smiling. "Stick that gun back in your cock. Maybe it'll grow bigger"

(GUN CLICKS)

"The gun is loaded, asshole, and I'm not about to let some walking-stick and a stupid raccoon disrespect my ways..." Quail replied

(LAUGHING BECOMES DEAD SILENCE)

"What did you call me?" Rocket asked, aggressively

"R-A-C-C-O-O-N, what does that spell? Oh, I know, a..." Quail teased

(ROCKET SNARLS AND LEAPS TOWARDS QUAIL)

(QUAIL SCREAMING)

Quail drops his gun which fires off shooting a hole in Grey's beverage and another hole through Groot's stumped head.

"Nobody calls me a raccoon! Especially not from some over-sized, muscle-headed baboon!" Rocket yelled

The raccoonoid started throwing punches and scratches while Quail desperately tried to yank the space critter off his face. He bumped into walls, fell over tables, rolled around in customer's food, and into broken glass...

(GLASS BREAKS AND PEOPLE SCREAMING ON THE INSIDE)

Customers and even work employees began exiting the restaurant screaming at the top of their lungs. Grey and Groot glanced to each other and they both quickly dashed inside the restaurant to find an over-sized Terran man wrestling a raccoon all over the Burger King floor. Soon Quail gathered enough strength to pin Rocket down on the floor.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Quail demanded

"Not from your planet, jackass, that's what!" Rocket snarled

"That does it! I'm calling backup" Quail said, reaching for his police communicator

However, he discovered the communicator was missing. Suddenly he heard a 'ahem' sound and he turned to find Grey holding the police communicator in his hand.

"Give it back! Do you hear me? GIVE IT BACK!" Quail demanded

So the boy gave it back. But instead, Grey threw it at Quail's groin causing him to squeal in pain.

(GROIN CRUNCHES)

(QUAIL SQEALS IN PAIN)

Quail released his grip allowing Rocket to grab a food-tray so he could knock the policeman in the face with it. Quail hit the floor covering his injured face with his hands.

"You're...all...going...to jail...BIG TIME!" Quail mumbled, not trying to show his tears

"How bout we just mess up your looks...BIG TIME!" Grey said, aiming ketchup and mustard bottles towards Quail's face

"Huh?"

(KETCHUP AND MUSTARD BOTTLES SQUIRTING AT QUAIL'S FACE)

(QUAIL SCREAMING AND SPUTTERING)

"NO! I'm allergic!" Quail cried

"Say buddy, how bout some ice to chill your nuts off?" Rocket offered, holding an empty drink

Rocket unzipped the man's pants and with a cup of ice, he was holding in his disconcertingly human-like hand, dumped it down his pants, zippering his pants back shut.

"What's going on? What's this..." Quail demanded

(QUAIL SCREAMING LIKE A LITTLE GIRL)

"I'LL FIX YOU FOR THIS! I'LL..." Quail yelled, threatening the trio

Suddenly Quail slipped on some ketchup and mustard combined and he fell to the floor with a loud BANG! The trio grimaced by the sight but only to burst out into laughter.

Quail started to hear birdies fly around his head and his eyes starting to twirl in circles. The trio looked down at his demise before Rocket held up a burger towards the man's face.

"You hungry, pal? Well then...EAT IT!" Rocket said, shoving the burger in Quail's mouth

Groot then started to wrap his branches all over Quail's body, like a cocoon.

(QUAIL'S MUFFLED SHOUTING)

"Have a nice day, Quail" Grey said, saluting him, "Don't go nowhere"

(GREY AND GROOT EXCHANGE A HIGH-FIVE)

(ROCKET STARTS LAUGHING AGAIN)

"Okay, he definitely reminds me of someone I know" Rocket laughed, gesturing to Quail

(POLICE SIRENS SOUND OFF IN THE DISTANCE)

"I' am Groot!" Groot cried

"That's our cue!" Grey said

"Then let's beat it!" Rocket ordered, "TO DR. STRANGE!"

Soon Rocket, Groot, and Grey dashed out of the Burger King restaurant, down the sidewalk, through the large crowd of walking people until they were deep out of sight.

Quail struggled to break himself free from Groot's vines. He wobbled, twisted, and turned from side to side like if a caterpillar was trying to break out of its cocoon. Luckily, Quail managed to break away the vines off his entire body. Quail spat out burger out of his mouth and discovered his three suspects have once again eluded him. Picking up some napkins, Quail wiped the ketchup and mustard off his face and picked up his gun off the restaurant floor and he cocked it back with a loud click.

(QUAIL GRUNTS IN ANGER)

"This means war!" Quail declared, angrily

It didn't take long for the trio until they saw the Subway just up ahead. They figured that with taking the Subway they can get away from the Detective a lot faster.

"Quick! We can ditch him in the Subway" Grey suggested

"I could use a break from running" Rocket said

"I' am Groot!" Groot said

However, unaware to the trio, an officer was standing by keeping an eye on things when he noticed the strange raccoonoid and the talking-tree walking beside him. The officer pulled his shoulder communicator to his lips and began talking secretively.

"I have visual. Two suspects approximately three feet and five feet tall. One wearing a blue jumpsuit and the other wearing nothing but tree-bark. The tall one resembles a plant and the other resembles a….badger. They both seem to be traveling with a boy about the age of twelve and are heading into the main Subway entrance at Times Square," the officer reported

"Are they heavily armed?" asked the officer, on the other line

The officer nodded in reply, "Yes, the badger appears armed and may be an enhanced human. All units proceed with caution"

"Understood" said the officer, on the other line

The trio quickly made their way down the stairs and down to where the train comes to pick up people. They huffed, puffed, and panted for exhaustion feeling the cold air burning through their throats like as if they were gonna break down coughing and gagging. Grey noticed everyone was giving them looks. And by them he means only Rocket and Groot. I mean, c'mon?…it's not every day you see a raccoon and a teenage flora colossus wait for a train in New York.

The train had finally arrived and everyone got in, including the trio. The trio then calmly began making their way to sit in the back. Once the trio sat down they all let out sighs of relief knowing they were safe…for now.

"I' am Groot" Groot said, huffing and panting

Rocket exchanged a small laugh, "You're right, bud. We sure gave that guy the slip"

"Yeah…" Grey said, as he wiped the sweat off his forehead, "Now all we gotta do it take this train until we get to Dr. Strange"

"Right you are, kiddo" Rocket said, resting his elbow on the human boy's shoulder. "And nothing's gonna get in our way"

Groot soon noticed a woman sitting across from them, watching them with fascination in her eyes. She had baby in her arms and was trying to get her to sleep. Groot studied the weird little human creature with curiosity; he smiled. The teenage flora colossus then grew a tiny little flower and he gently set it in the baby's hands earning a 'coo' from the small infant baby.

"I' am Groot" Groot said, nodding to the woman

"Excuse me, sir? Can we have a word?"

The trio were interrupted by the sound of someone talking to them and they turned to see who it was. It was the voice of a cop who had five officers standing beside him in the middle of the train with their hands on their weapons, walking towards them.

(GREY GULPING NERVOUSLY)

The raccoonoid let out a frustrated sigh from under his breath. But Rocket took a deep breath and began thinking happy thoughts before smiling towards the officers.

"Is it optional?" Rocket asked

"No," the officer replied, with a mustache

"When why the hell ask?" Rocket said, jumping out of his seat

"We need you and your woodland friend here to come with us," the officer, with the mustache

"Not happening, douchebags!" Grey protested

The officer with the mustache held a hand out towards the boy, "And you, son. I'm gonna need you to slowly move away from the…"

But Rocket got in front of the human boy and waved his disconcertingly human-like finger in the officer's face, "Whoa-Whoa-Whoa! Hold it there, Freddie Mercury. The kid is with us!"

"Sir, I'm not here to play good cop/bad cop with your furry ass, okay. I will ask again…will you, please, come with us" The officer with the mustache, ordered

Rocket shook his head, "No, thanks"

"Look here you little vermin! We got a report that a person resembling your description pulled off a fight in a Burger King restaurant with one of our own men less than ten minutes ago" said the officer, with the mustache

"That was me," Rocket admitted

"I' am Groot!" Groot declared, waving his tree-like arm in the air

"Is there gonna be a problem here?" the officer, with the mustache asked

"Oh! Did you guys stop all the crime so now you get to harass the poor little space creature and his son? Do me a favor, and go shove your damn mustache in someone else's face, pal!" Rocket protested back

The officer then pulled out his handcuffs, "All right, you smug little freak. Time to get your…"

With quick reflexes, Rocket shoved his disconcertingly human-like fist against the officer's esophagus, causing him to choke, before he leaped towards the officer knocking him down and slamming his head against the hard floor.

"What time is it? It's show-time, A-holes!" Rocket declared

"GAH!"

"Hey!"

"What the…"

"Get him!"

Rocket then threw the next punch at one of the upcoming officer by uppercutting him in the nose. He jumped over the third and fourth officer and clonked both their heads together, multiple times. Suddenly the fifth officer grabbed the raccoonoid by the tail causing Rocket to growl with ferocity. Make note: whoever grabs a raccoon by its tail will wish they hadn't. Rocket pulled his military gloves off and with his sharp claws began scratching the man's arm and he sunk his razor sharp teeth into the man's hand, biting him.

(ROCKET SNARLING)

(CLAWING AND BITING AT THE SAME TIME)

(FIFTH OFFICER CRIES OUT IN PAIN)

"LET GO, LET GO, LET GO YOU FILTHY RAT!"

Using his jumpsuit boot, Rocket kicked the fifth officer right up his nose causing him to fall backwards and hit the pole behind him before crashing down with the rest of his officer buddies.

Soon there was only one officer left, and he was the sixth one. Rocket snarled and cracked his knuckles together and slowly started walking towards him. The sixth officer pulled out his weapon and aimed it right at the raccoonoid's head.

"FREEZE! Stay where you are, vermin!"

(ROCKET CACKLING)

"What's it gonna be, pal? Easy way or hard way?" Rocket asked

"You ain't taking me down! I' am inevitable!" the sixth officer, declared

He started to pull the trigger and once he did…suddenly it didn't fire. As it turns out the load in his weapon was missing.

(GREY WHISTLES)

The sixth officer turned to the sound of the whistling before he was knocked in the face with his own gun load. Then the officer got a painful kick to the groin leaving him to dropping his own weapon to the floor. Then using his fist, Grey punched him and kicked the officer off his feet hitting the floor, groaning in pain. The sixth officer raised his head up before was knocked out unconscious when Rocket slammed his fist on top of the policeman's head.

"…ouch"

"And I' am done with this guys crap," Grey declared

Rocket smiled at him proudly, "Not bad, kid"

"It's a gift" Grey replied

"I' am Groot" Groot said

(POLICE OFFICERS GROANING)

"C'mon, Groot. Grab the kid! We gotta split!" Rocket ordered

"I' am Groot!" Groot said, nodding to him

The teenage flora colossus picked-up Grey and slung him on his back and began following after Rocket in pursuit. Once the officers gained full consciousness again they quickly got on their feet and aimed their guns at the trio with caution.

"DROP THE WEAPON!"

"DROP IT!"

Rocket pulled out one of his blasters and aimed it at the policemen, "I was cyber-genetically engineered by scientists. I'm a veteran of four galactic wars. I'm holding 36 ounces of unstable superheated solar plasma, and I've got the fastest trigger finger in six systems, thank-you very much. Maybe YOU shouldn't be yelling at me…NOW GROOT!"

"I' AM GROOT!"

Groot extended his tree-like arms to form a tree-wall; one that the officers couldn't break down or at least couldn't get into. Soon the six officers began open firing at the wall but the wall continued forming to grow stronger and unbreakable. Soon people were out of their seats and running towards the back of the train as the officers continued firing at the tree-like wall.

(GUNSHOTS)

(PEOPLE SCREAMING)

Grey watched the scene with bewilderment in his eyes, "COOL"

"I think it's time for us to go, fellas" Rocket said

"I' am Groot" Groot said

Opening the door and hopping on the other side of the subway train, Rocket aimed his blaster at the coupler. He fired down at it, causing the whole other part of the train to split itself away.

(GUNSHOTS)

Rocket saluted to the officers on the others side, "Thanks for the workout"

Groot opened up the silver door and the trio went inside and stopped by one of the sliding doors until all of a sudden a woman shouts.

"IT'S GOT A GUN!" the woman cried

"Calm down, UATU. Everyone sees it" Rocket said back, to the lady

(GREY NERVOUS CHUCKLING)

Grey gets in front of his furry companion, "Oh, no, no, no, this ain't a real gun. It's uhh…uhh…a toy! Yes, that's it, it's only a toy, not a real weapon"

"Are you his brother by any chance?" asked the man, who was sitting on the opposite side of the train

Grey gulped again, "Yes, yes I am. We had a long day at a Comic-Con convention and my little brother just loves to dress up and pretend to be a superhero"

"Who you calling 'little,' shrimp-face…" Rocket threatened

(GREY STOMPS ON ROCKET'S FOOT)

"OUCH!" Rocket cried, as he hopped on one foot

Suddenly the train began to slow down knowing that they must be arriving at their destination. Grey sighed with relief knowing he won't have to keep lying about Rocket being real or about his real weapons and stuff anymore.

"I' am Groot?" Groot asked

Grey looked up at Groot and nodded, "I think we're here, guys"

"This is 34th street, Herald Square. All passengers off the train. Due to police activity and a loose animal this train is now out of service" said the conductor

"I' AM NOT AN ANIMAL! GET THAT THROUGH YOUR KRUTACKIN' HEADS!" Rocket shouted, heatedly

"Calm down, Rocket. We got away, didn't we? What could possibly go wrong now?" Grey assured

"FREEZE!"

As soon as the sliding doors opened up, the trio were shocked to discover a SWAT team had arrived and they all had their weapons locked on all three. The trio looked at each other with petrified looks before they finally raised his arms ups in defeat.

"Never say…WHAT COULD GO WRONG!" Rocket angrily, muttered

"I' am Groot" Groot said, gulping

"I hate New York," Grey said

Still raising his paws in the air, Rocket took one step forward towards the armed SWAT officers.

"What do you flarknards want?!" Rocket asked

One of the SWAT officers raised up a pair of handcuffs and yelled, "GET ON THE GROUND NOW! YOU'RE ALL UNDER ARREST!"

"I don't do well with cages" Rocket said

"I' am Groot!" Groot cried

(SWAT TEAMS CLICK THEIR WEAPONS AND READY TO FIRE)

"Kid, if you got any ideas, USE THEM!" Rocket yelled

Suddenly Groot noticed something weird was going around Rocket, Grey and him. The trio looked down and discovered the concrete beneath them was GLOWING. It was a circle of ancient symbols forming around their feet.

"Kid, now's not the time to be playing magic tricks…" Rocket yelled

"I swear I'm not doing this!" Grey assured

"I' am Groot…"

(TRIO EXCLAIMING)

WHOOMPF! Rocket, Groot, and Grey DROP out of sight, vanishing through the solid concrete; as if they were never here! SWAT officers were hopelessly confused by what just happened at the scene and none of them couldn't tell where they were as of this moment.

Wonder what could have happened to our heroes? Who are the Skulls working for? Something strange is happening. Anyway, please review and stay tuned for more fun and exciting action soon because things are about to get stranger!