Making a Hero

I was once again roused by knocking on my dorm door. My head was pulsing and my stomach tender and I couldn't help but feel slightly resentful of the seemingly constant interruptions to my sleep ins. I peeled myself of the other body in my bed and lurched to my feet. I put a t-shirt on and pulled it down low enough at the front to cover myself. Squinting, I opened my door to Tony, who gave me a very amused look.

“Ah, enjoying our hangover are we? Steve's called a meeting in the kitchen, you got like, twenty minutes...” He paused, looking past me, “-Is that a shoe in your screen?” His mouth opened with a half a smile as he examined the state of my room over my shoulder. There was indeed a shoe lodged in the screen that was mounted on my wall, the heel had punctured the glass and was lodged in deep. The other shoe of the pair lay on the floor, below the dent it had made in the plaster with the toe. There were twin pools of green fabric laying on the floor and a foot was poking out of the blanket on the bed. I felt a smug smile come on my face at my recollections of the night.

“Is that... Do you have Romanov in your bed?” Tony tried to elbow his way in the room, and I shoved at him, suddenly panicked. I was unsure as to whether or not I wanted everyone to know about what, or rather, who, I'd spent the night doing, so I squeaked,

"What? No, of course not!" and slammed the door in his face with such force that it bounced back out of the door frame, leaving the latch in disrepair. Tony look even more amused at my reaction and the noise caused Tasha to stir.

“Whasgoinon?” She mumbled, sitting up, fortunately having the presence of mind to keep herself covered up with the blanket. I decided to act casual. As though nothing were out of the ordinary, which was an effort considering that my heartbeat had ratcheted up and a flush was crawling up my neck. I turned to speak to her, a mental reel of the night's activities blinking through my brain and my ass hanging out the bottom of the t-shirt and on view to Tony.

“Steve's called a meeting in the kitchen in twenty minutes.” I said, ignoring Stark who was peering in the door, a look of utter delight on his face. Natasha blinked through her hangover and looked up at us standing in the doorway. I felt my cheeks heat up as she gave me a knowing smile. Flustered, I grabbed her a robe off the coat rack and threw it over for her to put on, since I'd destroyed her own clothing last night. She caught it on reflex and after glancing at the remains of her dress, grinned at me. Her eyes slid to the coat rack and she huffed out a laugh.

“Looks like I owe you ten bucks.” She told me, pointing at the rack, where her thong was swinging wildly on one of the pegs. I smiled, feeling absurdly pleased with my underwear flicking skills. She pulled the robe on, retrieved her shoes and grabbed her underwear, tucking it into the robe pocket.

“Good morning Tony.” She told the billionaire, who had pulled out his phone. I had the feeling he was texting his gossip across the whole building. Natasha gave him an amused look, and made no move to censor him. “See you guys at the meeting.” Then she winked at me before stepping around him and disappearing out in the hall. Tony smirked and I shut the door in his face. I'd have to get it repaired. As it was, it'd swing open at the slightest touch. Maybe I'd over-reacted.

I quickly showered and abolished my hangover, but continued to feel sick from the lack of food. I had a feeling that the need for greasy hangover-cure food was Steve's primary motivation for calling the meeting in the kitchen rather than the assembly room.

Most of us had binged ourselves into oblivion and it was very sweet of Steve to think of us all, but I didn't think breakfast was going to be a very grand affair. I recalled the people raiding the fridge last night and I had a feeling that the joint that Clint had been brandishing had eventually been put to use. We'd be lucky if there was any food left.

So I was very surprised to arrive in the kitchen to the smell of breakfast, which was frying away at the hands of Sam and Rhodey. The party hall was well on its way to being tidied up and returned to our dining room. Apparently Tony's money could make all sorts of miracles happen of a morning.

I selected a banana from the fruit bowl and began methodically peeling it, ignoring the stare of barely concealed contempt that Bruce was sending my way. Everyone else settled for the occasional glance and smirk. I made a mental note to smash Tony's phone at the first given opportunity.

Thor came into the room. He did not look in very good spirits, with eyes like piss holes in the snow. I hid a smile and hoped that someone at the party had recorded his drunken exploits. He sat next to me at the bench and groaned. It was the most pathetic noise I'd ever heard. I placed a hand on the Asgardian and took his hangover away. He brightened instantly.

Sam began placing platters laden with cooked breakfast foods in front of us and Wanda made herself useful, sending plates and cutlery floating over. For a moment, there was nothing but the sounds of eating. I took a mental role call. We were all there. Even Sam's friend Scott and Maria Hill.

Everyone had their focus on their food when Steve came bouncing into the room. I began to think dark thoughts about the bright eyed and bushy tailed morning person. He might be America's golden boy, but in that moment, he was pure evil to me.

“Is everyone here?” Steve asked, craning his neck and counting heads under his breath. I busied myself by filching the last of the bacon off Pietro's plate and eating it with Thor's eggs.

"Yeah everyone's here." Tony informed him, then added with a rather sly look at me, "Though I'm sure a couple of us would rather still be in bed." There were a few titters by way of response, and I felt myself blush again. Bruce looked murderous, but Natasha only grinned. Steve rolled his eyes, a light tinge of pink to his cheeks and shushed Tony with a dirty look.

"Look, we've got news." The blond beef cake said distractedly, avoiding eye contact with both Widow and myself, "Bruce had a hit on the Tesseract this morning." Instantly the room went on high alert. Bruce sighed.

"As you know I was tracking gamma radiation in an effort to find the Tesseract, which gives off minute traces, however, the hit I got was a considerably larger source." He said, also avoiding eye contact with Widow and I. Though I suspected that was more to ease his high levels of aggravation rather than because he was embarrassed like Steve was.

"So not the Tesseract?" Clint clarified. Bruce gave a short nod.

"It originates on AIM island." Steve informed us, "And it's definitely a cause for concern."

"But you are still tracking the Tesseract right?" I asked, earning a dark look for my efforts. AIM were not a priority to me. Strucker was.

"I've had to re-calibrate the equipment around the feedback from AIM island, but yes I am." He said shortly. I understood that I was going to have to have words with Dr. Banner at some point in the near future.

"What are we gonna do about AIM?" Rhodey asked, chewing a piece of toast.

"Odds are, based on every other incident involving gamma radiation, that they're attempting to make gamma irradiated soldiers." Tony said out of nowhere, a careful eye on Bruce, who looked thoroughly miserable. I did feel a twinge of pity in that moment.

"So we're looking at an army of creatures from each of the nine realms led by Strucker from one side," Clint said suddenly, "AND an army of scary strong gamma soldiers created by Aim on the other."

"That just about sums it up." Steve said tiredly.

"Well, when it rains, it fucking pours." I grumbled. Clint laughed bitterly.

"Fuck's sake, I'm supposed to be retired!"

"Hell of a time to be an avenger." Sam commented.

An unholy sound filled the air suddenly. It was the same wailing screech that had gotten us out of bed when Hawkeye and Pietro had arrived here. The absolute bane of every hungover person in the building. The intruder alarm.

Chaos followed the sound. We hadn't just been infiltrated, we'd been thoroughly  infiltrated. Groups of goons poured into the room almost as immediately as Steve called everyone to action. The Avengers that were still in the kitchen took point and faced off against the mysterious henchmen.

Thankful for the large breakfast, I shifted to my Vibranium body. I wished that I had the suit that Tony had made me, and decided in the moment, that I would wear it under everything from now on. The skylight in the kitchen smashed in and through the falling glass, I saw the Iron Man suit flash past. It flew across the room and arranged itself around a waiting Tony Stark.

“Who's goons are these and what are they doing here?” He yelled at me as I approached. I shot him a dark look.

“How the hell would I know?” I spat at him, as he gave me a boost, hurling me across the room at a group that Falcon and War Machine were having trouble holding off without their suits or any weapons. I landed behind them and flung my chain around the neck of one goon and gave it a hard yank. The uniformed person flew back towards me and I smashed my elbow into the back of his head, his skull caved under the Vibranium point. I saw a logo which I recognized.

“They're Hydra!” I yelled, twirling my chain into a pole and smashing the knees out of another enemy, he fell to the ground, I made sure of him by smashing in his skull as he went down. Sam and Rhodey seemed to have the rest of them handled. I saw Iron Man finish blasting a small huddle into uselessness. I ran across the room and jumping up, I hooked my chain around his ankle.

“Shit, Rookie what the hell?” He cried, adjusting himself to compensate for my sudden weight.

“Let's get outside and see what's happening there!” I yelled at him. He looked at me then up at the sky light.

“Gotcha.” His tinny voice responded. I gripped the chain as we went zooming up and out into the sky. I relinquished my hold and fell, landing on the roof. The whole base was surrounded by henchmen. Now that I knew we were dealing with Hydra, I wondered if the Baron was here among them. We both heard a spine chilling roar, and the west side of the building exploded.

“Well. Code Green I guess.” Tony said, mostly to himself. I watched as Hulk begin decimating the Hydra agents that were closing in on the building. I ran along the roof tops away from him.

“Bruce isn't too fond of me at present,” I yelled at Stark, who'd followed me, “So I think I'll just disappear back inside!” I smashed in another skylight and gave Tony a wave as I dropped down inside. He was already zooming off, presumably to help Hulk. I landed heavily on the floor, right in the middle of an altercation between Thor, and a beautiful stranger.

“Amora, return what you have stolen from our home!” Thor yelled over the top of me at the blonde dressed in green. So this was Loki's Enchantress. I instantly hated her. She was tall, beautiful her hands glowed green with magic.

“Our home? I was banished! Or do you not remember?” Amora snarled. I tried as best I could, to skulk away unnoticed by the pair of them. I did not get very far. Amora pinned me with her magic.

“That is no excuse to steal from Odin's own vault! To what end Amora? What possible reason could The Enchantress have to align herself with the filth of Midgard?” He was whirling his hammer. I don't think he'd even noticed me plop down from the ceiling right in front of him, he was so focused in his rage. I struggled to assert myself over Amora's binding enchantment. She wasn't really concentrating on me, just trying to keep me out of trouble. Apparently Thor's question had been rhetorical, because before Amora could respond, he threw his hammer. Quickly I shifted up, My back seeming to burst open, I snared the projectile with my particles as it zoomed past, it's momentum ripped me out of Amora's magic.

She side stepped Mjolnir, but wasn't fast enough to evade me. I wrapped my arm around her torso as the mighty hammer took us through the wall. We hit the lawn, rubble pelting down with us as we scuffed up the dirt, skidding to a halt.

“Unhand me Mortal!” Amora screeched, grabbing me by the neck of my Batman t-shirt and throwing me away from her. I switched my shifts, changing to a bird and taking flight before I hit the ground a second time. My clothes fluttered to the ground and I lamented the lack of my suit again. I circled around to Thor, who was stepping through the hole in the building and approaching Amora. I lighted on the Thunder God's shoulder.

“Ah but you are a useful mortal!” He exclaimed to me as I let the shift go, remaining perched on his broad shoulder. Thor did not even bat an eyelid at my sudden nudity. I didn't know if I was grateful or insulted. Movement behind us attracted my attention, a large man with a very big ax was hurtling towards us. I assumed that this was Skurge. 

“Incoming, throw me back at the big guy, and you handle the lady!” I barked. Thor did not question, he just gripped my wrist and slung me around, releasing me when I was pointed at The Executioner who was just reaching the hole in the wall.

I changed to iron, and my chain melted into a long sinister looked spike. The force of Thor's throw combined with my weight hit Skurge like a wrecking ball. My spike drove into his shoulder and my knee into his groin. He gave a blood curdling scream as we flew back into the building. I straddled him like a pony as we careened across the floor and into another wall.

Dropping the iron shift, I enjoyed the look on Skurge's face as my boobs suddenly jiggled over his face before hardening again, this time as Vibranium strengthened my body. I ripped the spike out of his shoulder and raised it, ready to plunge directly into his face. A mighty screech from the Enchantress sounded, and a split moment after, rubble from the destroyed wall behind us hit me in the back with so much force that it lifted me off the Executioner and put me through another wall.

My Vibranium body took the hit, Then I changed, slithering out of the destruction. A small, sinuous snake body allowing me to navigate my way through the ruins quickly. My energy was waning and I had barely engaged in the fight. Mostly I'd just smashed through things My shift dropped away, and naked, I staggered through the doorway of the room. It was strangely deserted, the noise of the fight seemed very far. Footsteps sounded from around the corner and I quickly shifted again. This time becoming the image of Amora.

Sure enough, three Hydra agents came barreling into the hall, stumbling to a halt at the sight of me. I looked at them with contempt in my best Enchantress impression.

“Report!” I demanded. I desperately hoped that Amora was an authority figure. Sure enough the men scrabbled to throw themselves at my feet.

“My Lady!” One exclaimed, “The Hulk was not supposed to be here. He's annihilated our outside forces.” I fought a smile. “We have no back up, our forces inside the building are nearly depleted. We are losing this battle!” The agent finished. His eyes were pleading, silently begging me to call for a retreat. I grinned.

“Good to know boys.” I said, Amora's likeness melting away from me. I grabbed my chain, it shortened and formed a hard ball on the end. I flung it at the agents, who were getting to their feet. It hit Goon One in the throat, crushing his esophagus. He dropped to the ground, suffocating. He'd be dead soon enough.

Goon Two and Three turned to flee. The ball and chain changed back to a spike and I threw it at their retreating forms. It lodged in the back of goon Two, leaving only Three, who tripped on his comrade and hit the hard floor with a grunt. He watched me approach, frozen with fear. I didn't blame him, after all, I was some unknown woman with a morphing weapon killing off his pals in the nude.

I stepped over to him and, showing off a bit, I controlled the shift so that Vibranium slowly colored my form.  I bent to pull my spike out of his friend and then I reached over and fisted the front of the remaining living goon's uniform, raising him up off the floor to my eye level.

“Tell me why you're here.” I said quietly, the metallic sound of my voice providing a threatening tone. The agent flailed momentarily.

“She told us to follow her!” He yelped. I brought the bloodied spike up and put the point at his throat.

“I'm going to need more information than that.” I told him, applying just the smallest amount of pressure.

“They don't tell us anything beyond orders!” He ended with a sob and I nearly felt bad.

“Then tell me what you overheard.” I said reasonably as the point of the spike pricked his skin. A bead of blood trickling down his neck. He started crying uncontrollably and I could smell urine.

“Thor. She wants Thor. Let me go please!” I threw him to the ground, and he scrabbled away as fast as his legs could take him. The Vibranium leeched out of my body as I watched him go.

“Rookie!” Someone yelled behind me, and I turned slightly to see Steve striding along the hallway. I smiled tiredly.

“What's up cap?” I asked, trying to arrange my self to cover all my naked bits. Despite my efforts, one nipple insisted on playing peek-a-boob from behind my arm.

“It's over. They're retreating. Did you do this?” He gestured to the bodies of the goons and I shrugged. “A bit.”

“You know we try not to kill people right?” He demanded, Then, to my surprise he looked me up and down and smiled slightly before pulling off his sweaty, gross t-shirt and handing it to me. I pulled it on without question and gave him a smile of gratitude before responding to his question.

“That's stupid. Way to ensure your enemies come back at you with a greater thirst for vengeance.” I said and he sighed, rubbing his temples. I decided to change the subject. 

“These aren't real Hydra agents.” I sniffed, gesturing to the bodies, “No cyanide caps in their teeth. No Hail Hydra bullshit. Amora may be aligned with Strucker, but he's not enamored of her enough to provide her with real Hydra soldiers.” Steve nodded.

"I think one or two of them may be genuine. Strucker would be wasting a golden opportunity in failing to send loyal agents. " He said. I hummed my agreement, then wrinkled my brow with a thought.

"Quick question, a Hydra is a beast with heaps of heads, yeah?" Steve gave a short nod, and I continued, "So why is their logo a fucken octopus?"  I asked, and he laughed.

"I don't know Rookie I'll try to remember to ask the Baron the next time I'm punching him." He sighed, all traces of mirth vanished from his face, "We need to regroup and assess the damage.”

“Assembly room?”

“Yep. Find some pants or something first though.” He said and I groaned. Pulling a face I left him in the hallway. He was looking down at the dead agents and I had the feeling that I was in for a definite lecture later.

***

We gathered in the assembly hall. I had stopped by my dorm and pulled some trousers. I was still wearing Steve's t-shirt though and I had every intention of keeping it. He was wearing a fresh one. I was disappointed that he was covering himself up, and kind of amused because the pristine cloth looked very out of place on the roughed up super soldier.

“Amora came for me.” Thor was telling us. Of course, I already knew that. Apparently my interrogation of the impostor Hydra agent had been pointless. “She came to convince me to leave with her, to go somewhere it was safe.”

“She realizes that she was the danger right? That we were all perfectly safe until she showed up with a bunch of gun wielding lunatics in tow. Not to mention the guy with the ax.” Clint said, hissing through his teeth as Natasha cleaned what looked to be a nasty graze on his shoulder. “Great idea, by the way, putting a great big fucken A on the building so that every man and his dog knows where to find us. That's almost as smart as giving a terrorist your home address.” He slid his gaze over to Tony, who huffed and rolled his eyes.

“That was like, one time.” He responded.

“It was more that she was referring to some future event.” Thor said thoughtfully. Of course she was. The future event being that the Baron wanted to overrun the globe with feral creatures from other realms.

“Man, she has got it bad for you big guy. Helps out the ultimate evil organization, but at the end of the day all she wants is to save her bae.” Clint commented snidely. I groaned and Natasha glared at him and grabbed his face, mushing his lips up.

“If you ever use the term bae again, I will end you.” She told him sternly and he quailed under her stare, meekly nodding his compliance. Tony snorted.

“It is true.” Thor said mournfully. “Amora has long lusted after me. Her desires causing a rift in her relationship with her sister, even her mentor Karnilla.” He fidgeted with the handle of Mjolnir. I scowled. While it wasn't exactly useful information, I would have liked to know that Amora had worked under Karnilla sooner.

“Well, can we assume that this future event is going to be invading monsters of the nine realms? Especially since it's now painfully obvious that Hydra is involved with at least two Asgardians. One of them just so happens to have mentored under the sorceress that created the Norn stones," I shot Thor a dark look that went completely over his head. Must be nice to be that oblivious. I continued, "And the second being a really big guy with an even bigger weapon. No offense Thor, the hammer is cool, but that ax is outright terrifying.” I said, thinking about the third Asgardian that Hydra was also involved with. I was going to need to visit Loki, as soon as possible.

“I'd say that just about sums it up.” Sam commented while the room agreed with him.

“At least we can trace them.” Tony informed us. “When I was shooting at the retreating Hydra goons, I was planting nano trackers.” He told Steve, who nodded his approval. 

“So, Tesseract location notwithstanding, we're gonna need a plan.” Rhodey stated. There was an awkward silence. The idea of planning an attack on Hydra gave me anxiety, and even though I'd gained control over my Shift bursts when I was stressed, I still felt a little tingle in my molecules. 

“Oh, and we also really need to give Brooke a better handle. Yelling out 'Rookie' isn't exactly inspiring a sense of competence.” Tony pointed out and I smiled grimly and nodded my head. I'd been thinking on that.

“Actually, I think that if we're coming up against Strucker, I could be the ace in the hole.” I said, earning a stare from Steve and a confused look from nearly everyone else. “I was one of his prize pets for fifteen years, a favored tool and weapon. Capable of many things. Using me, he was able to climb the ladder of accomplishment quite quickly. To that end, I believe that it's unlikely that he would have forgotten me.” I said it quite nonchalantly, though my heart hammered at the thought of what I was about to suggest. 

“I imagine that if I were to suddenly just show up, he'd be quite distracted by it.” I sounded more confident than I felt. There was a quiet moment while everyone digested this thought.

“And that gives us a edge.” Natasha said, cutting through the silence. Steve's brow furrowed.

“You sure you're ok with that?” He asked me, adorable with his concern. I shrugged.

“He's going to suspect it anyway if the Hydra Agent that I didn't, um, incapacitate, reports to him, and when I'm Shifting on the field. Might as well use it.” I smiled, and Steve understood. I knew the Baron, and I was going to use it just like he'd told me to.

"What's that got to do with what I was talking about?" Tony asked quizzically and I raised an eyebrow at him.

“Well, he used to call me his Changeling. I figure, that's as good a code-name as any.” It was also the first real name I'd ever had. I was just a designation to the Kree, and Shira referred to me as her lover, not by any name. Strucker had began calling me Changeling from the moment he saw what I could do. 

“Huh.” Tony said, tilting his head. “I like it. I mean, I hate that he came up with it, but it's not bad.” He said, and I shrugged.

“That's pretty much exactly how I feel about it.” I told him.