Chapter Fifty-One: Pep Talk
╟╫╫╫╫╢
"I'm sorry, no?" He repeated, blinking.
"You heard me," I said, turning my back. Before I could get very far, he jarred me backwards and into him. I looked up into his hardened blue eyes.
"I'm afraid I wasn't asking you," he spat.
"Hmm, let me see," I tapped a finger to my chin, "Fire that could cook you alive, or really pointy knives. I'd say its a draw, you've got a pretty fair shot at forcing me to do something I don't want to," I said sarcastically. He and I both knew that with my fire powers, I was more powerful.
"Have we forgotten what happened the last time you tried to duel me?" He asked, leaning in closer, so that his breath partially fogged my visor, "I could remind you. I recall you being significantly less clothed, what say we begin there?"
I reddened, pulling my arm from his grip and stepping back. "If these people are going to be sacrificed to save everyone down there," I began, the words thick in my throat, "Then I'm not running away. I'm going down with them."
"I agree," Natasha said, appearing out of no where with Steve on her tail. She folded her arms and stopped at my side. "There's worse ways to go. Besides, where am I gonna get a view like this?"
She nodded at the clouds that now seemed to be beneath her. God, we were high.
Suddenly, static sounded over my earpiece. And then, a crackling voice.
"Glad you like the view, Romanoff. It's about to get better."
My eyes widened. Nat smiled at me, and I felt my own face mirror her expression. It was Fury.
From the clouds, emerged something massive. A mechanic whirring announced its arrival, and I recognized the sound just as I recognized what I was looking at. The helicarrier.
"Nice, right?" Fury's voice came again. "Pulled her out of mothballs with a couple old friends. She's dusty, but she'll do."
"Fury, you son of a bitch," Steve shook his head.
"Ooh, you kiss your mother with that mouth?"
A laugh spluttered out of me, and I covered my mouth as relief flooded through me. I'd actually been ready to die. But we were saved.
Soon, large ships deployed from the side of the helicarrier, planting themselves on the ground before the large evac building.
"This is S.H.I.E.L.D?" Pietro nearly made me pass out from shock, appearing directly at our side.
"This is what S.H.I.E.L.D. is supposed to be," Steve nodded, hands on his hips as he looked on dramatically.
Damn, did I have a thing for dramatic men.
Pietro chuckled. "This is not so bad."
"Maybe from where your standing," Loki countered.
I looked back at him, "You'll be fine. Probably."
"Thank you, your confidence has thoroughly reassured me."
"Come on," Steve said, clapping a hand over my shoulder, "Let's load 'em up."
As people began to flock towards the transports, a new swarm of bots clouded around the helicarrier. Before any of us could react though, they were blown to pieces. I squinted, recognizing the Iron Patriot cutting through the debris and making quick work of the robots.
"Come on, move!" I called out, as I pulled people from where they cowered, pointing them towards safety. They moved quickly, but the flood of people seemed to never end.
Suddenly, there was a defeaning boom, as one of the transport began to sink. I looked up. One of the engines had been blown out. I charged to the edge of the city, throwing out a gust of flame to take down the robots that swarmed it. But it was still going down.
Relief filled my chest, as Tony shot up from below and caught it, guiding it towards the carrier.
At the same time, he said into his earpiece, "Thor, I got a plan." Of course, even when he was saving hundreds he was still thinking. Still calculating.
"We're out of time," Thor's voice answered, "They're coming for the core."
There was a brief pause. "Rhodey, get the rest of those people on board that carrier. Avengers. Time to work for a living."
I met Nat's gaze. She nodded to me, then broke of in a run. I followed after. Loki and Cap were on my heels. Pietro shot past. We all made for the core. For Ultron.
It was a chore getting there, we had to hijack a vehicle or two before we finally arrived to some half-destroyed church.
"What's the drill?" Nat asked Stark as we hopped out.
"This is the drill. If Ultron gets a hand on the core, we lose," Tony said, pointing to the large metal contraption that stuck up from the ground.
Suddenly, the Hulk slammed into the ground, announcing his arrival.
"Long time no see," Loki said quietly, raising his hands. "We're on good terms, you and I, right?"
The Hulk only grunted in response.
Over his shoulder, Ultron lowered from the sky, levitating several feet off the ground as he stared us all down.
"Is that the best you can do?" Thor yelled to him, stupidly.
With a wave of his finger, Ultron summoned his army. And it was an army. There were more bots than I could count.
"You had to ask?" Cap deadpanned.
"This is the best I can do," Ultron responded, spreading his arms, "This is exactly what I wanted. All of you, against all of me. How can you possibly hope to stop me?"
"Well," Tony said, looking between us, "Like the old man said. Together."
Hulk released an ear-shattering bellow. And the army charged.
In seconds, the place was in chaos. Bots flying past overhead. Carnage, debris, destruction. I smiled, bringing flame to my palms. I was beginning to like destroying things.
We formed a tight circle around the core, fending off the bots, which were pouring in through windows and doorways by the dozen.
I ducked out of the way of punches, daggers, shields, Pietro, robot body parts, arrows, and bullets. And eventually, impossibly, the army began to clear.
Above me, Vision took on Ultron, a beam of power splitting from the gem in the centre of his head. I saw Thor help him, using his lightning to push Ultron back. Tony joined them both, using beams from his suit to contribute. I drew on the last of my strength, adding my fire to the joined effort.
Ultron fell to his knees, his pieces melting and his voice malfunctioning.
"You know—" He pushed to his knees, lifting a hand, "With the benefit of hindsight—"
He was cut off by Hulk's fist slamming into his face, sending him off into the sky. He went so far, my eyes couldn't even track him.
With Ultron gone, the rest of the bots began to disperse.
"They'll try to leave the city," Thor called.
"We can't let 'em. Not even one," Tony ordered, then, into his earpiece, "Rhodey!"
Vision shot off the ground to help him take out the fleeing bots.
I turned back to the others, queasy and wobbly on my feet. I felt completely drained. Cold as death. But the fire was starting to take on a mind of its own. Again. I groaned, a feeling of helpless terror seizing me as I tried to push it down.
Then, I fell to a knee.
"Steve!" I don't know why I called for him. But I did. And he was at my side, helping me up. I strained with the effort to keep my flames held at bay, not to burn him.
"We gotta move out," he said to the others, "Even I can tell the air is getting thin. You guys get to the boats. I'll sweep for stragglers. Be right behind you. Nat, take Alivia."
Then he looked down at me.
"I can't—" I started, my voice hoarse. "It won't—"
"Hey, look at me," he said, and I did. Looking into his warm face eased something in me. "Last I checked you were the Firebyrd. These powers are yours, Al. Keep 'em in line. Show 'em who's boss."
Something weird happened then. I laughed. I laughed until my sides hurt, and I had to lean against Steve to keep upright. He frowned, probably thought I was going crazy.
"Sorry," I sighed, my chest tight with the laughter, "It's just—You thought you'd be able to control my powers with that?" I chuckled again. "With a cheesy motivational speech?"
"Well, you can do anything if you just believe," he said, referencing New York, as he tilted his head and smiled. "It did work, though."
"Only because you're a complete idiot and I find that funny," I said, somewhat shocked to find that it had worked. The fire licking at my hands was gone. The exhaustion wasn't, though.
"I'll be sure to take up comedy, then," Steve said, "If that'll get these things under control. Now, go."
With that, he passed me to Natasha, and I draped an arm over her shoulder.
"What about the core?" Clint asked.
"I'll protect it," Wanda piped up suddenly, "It's my job."
Clint nodded. "Nat, this way."
I looked to Steve once more as Nat pulled me away. Then, my gaze found Loki. He was looking to Steve too, bitterly, as he trailed after us. That jealousy that was once in his eyes was replaced by unbridled rage.
We found a car, and Clint hotwired it as Nat set me down in the back seat. Loki slid into the passenger side, and we sped off. Clint made casual conversation that escaped me. My ears were fuzzy and ringing and I just wanted to sleep.
I was partially aware of being pulled out of the car by someone who wasn't Natasha.
I saw a transport ahead of me. Just a few more steps.
I looked up, but my vision went out before I could register who was holding me.
╟╫╢
I woke up in the medical wing of the Avengers tower. I blinked. Nat was at my side. I groaned, pushing myself to a seated position. Surprisingly, the only injury I was immediately aware of was just a stiff shoulder.
That, and a really bad chill.
"God, what happened?" I asked groggily.
"We won," she said, smiling a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"Then why do you look like your cat just died?"
"Pietro—Didn't make it," she said sullenly.
My mouth hinged open. I hadn't known him well, so it was only out of basic human compassion. An ache for Wanda. But Nat had seen death before. She'd said as much to me before. Death surrounded her. This wasn't what had hit her so hard, I knew it.
I looked pointedly at her until she caved.
She sighed. "Banner... Bruce was—We never found him."
He can't have died. It was impossible. So that meant he'd left.
"Oh, Nat, I'm so sorry," I said, squeezing her hand.
"Ultron's gone," she said, scratching the corner of her eye, "Thor too, he left for Asgard."
"Without saying goodbye?" I feigned disappointment, and she smiled stiffly again. I paused. "Did Loki go with him?"
Nat looked down at me. I was a little embarrassed at the flood of relief that washed through me when she shook her head no.
"Hill wasn't too happy to see him, but I managed to pry her hands off Loki's neck," she joked, "He should be in his room I think."
I smiled. Tony had given him a room. Because he knew I needed Loki's help.
My smile fell a little as Nat stood.
"You should go get some rest in your room," she said, "It's late."
I nodded. She pulled me into a quick hug, before turning to leave.
I watched her go with a sour taste in my throat.
Wherever Banner was, I was gonna kick his ass.
╟╫╫╫╫╢
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top