By the time the Quinjet left the island, Chen Mo had looked toward the corner of the cabin for the fifth time.
There was nothing there.
No energy bars, no crackers, no compressed rations, not even a bag of anything that looked like military-issue chewing gum.
This gave him serious doubts about superhero logistics.
Why did none of them keep snacks in their vehicles?
If you didn't bring a single snack, what was the point of designing masks with exposed mouths?
Huh?
"So," Chen Mo said, sitting in his seat, utterly distraught. "You really don't have anything to eat on this plane?"
Steve sat opposite him, his shield resting beside his knee.
He was silent for a moment.
"No."
Chen Mo drew a breath.
"How do you Avengers normally maintain your blood sugar in battle? Conviction?"
Steve glanced at him.
Chen Mo immediately waved his hands. "I'm not saying conviction is bad. Conviction is good. Conviction is great. Conviction can even fight Hydra. But you can't dip conviction in ketchup."
Steve didn't laugh. He just lowered his head and opened a comm link.
Nick Fury's voice soon came over the channel.
"Captain, bring him back to S.H.I.E.L.D."
Chen Mo looked up.
The Venom Suit stirred gently behind his shoulder, like a cat that had heard the word "vet."
Steve didn't answer immediately.
Fury's tone was steady, and firm.
"A visitor from another world, an Extraterrestrial Lifeform attached to him, an unverifiable identity, and an unknown power level. Captain, this isn't an ordinary rescue subject. He needs to undergo quarantine assessment."
"He hasn't been in this world long, according to him," Steve said.
"All the more reason to hand him over to us."
"The children on the island need medical care and protection. That laboratory needs to be sealed off, too."