Avengers: Endgame

Slightly woozy, Evie followed Thor’s lead. The bleeding had stopped, and the arm was nearly done mending. The last of the tenderness fading. As they approached a jagged cliff, Evie felt the all too familiar sense of deadly intent that could only belong to one being in the entire cosmos. Once they stopped at the edge, Thor stood at this full height. Simply boring a hole into the head of the purple Titan perched on a rock. Evie crouched down, using her powers to feel who else was standing after the attack. Scott had heeded the distress call her uncle had sent out, but the rest of the team was slowly calling in their positions. 

After a few minutes, Tony and Steve found them overlooking the mile-wide crater. The Avengers compound lay in ruins, completely destroyed. Evie had a scowl cemented on her face. She had desperately tried to locate the gauntlet. But objects were off her radar. So she instead opted to study Thanos, uncovering how he had managed to reappear. The two stood to the side of them, eyes landing on the homicidal warlord.“What’s he been doing?” Tony asked. Very calmly Thor answered, “Absolutely nothing.” Thanos was idle, a massive double-edged sword planted to his right. 

“Where are the stones?” 

“Somewhere under all this,” Tony answered Steve, motioning to the wreckage they were standing in. “All I know is he doesn’t have ‘em.” 

“So, we keep it that way,” Cap said with unwavering determination. An infectious feeling that seeped into the three of them. A sentiment that landed, a realization dawning that this was their chance. Their last stance.

“You know it’s a trap, right?” Evie informed them as she went to stand tall beside them. Tony looked at her, “yeah… I don’t much care.” 

“Good. Just as long as we’re all in agreement.” Thor stated, his eyes blazing with a brilliant blue light. The skies darken even further, thunder cracking in the distance. Small charges of lightning crackled through his veins as he held out his hands. Lightning struck the ground where Thor stood, Mjolnir and Stormbreaker slapping into his awaiting palms. When the blinding light subsided the Asgardian was outfitted in his cape and armor. “Let’s kill him properly this time.” His statement prompted Steve to grip the shield tighter, but before he could lead them toward the center, Tony grabbed Evie by the wrist. “Honey, I need you to locate the stones and keep them safe.” 

“But dad-” 

“No buts!” He shook his head, giving her a pointed look. “He gets those stones again and everything we’ve done, everything we’ve sacrificed will be for nothing. Natasha, Loki, their deaths, meaningless if we lose again.” Evie knew he was right, as much as she wanted to be the one to deliver vengeance for a second time, the priority was locating and securing the Infinity Stones. 

She gave him a curt nod, “Kick his ass, Dad.” Turning tail, she descended into the ruins of the compound to search for the weapon at large.

As soon as darkness and smoke obscured her vision, Evie plunged headfirst into the shadows. It didn't take long for her to sense a pack of outriders hunting for Clint. Just as she was about to rush in his direction to help, she felt what could only be described as a strange aftershock from Hulk's snap. The unexpected surge of energy coursed through her with such force that it caused her to collapse onto her hands and knees. Overwhelmed by the sensation, she struggled to catch her breath, the air catching in her lungs. She clawed at her chest and stomach, desperate for oxygen as the electric churn in her gut intensified.

After a few anxiety-ridden moments, the sensation subsided, and just in time. Gulping in a deep breath, Evie refused to dwell on what had just occurred. Instead, she took off toward Clint's position.

When she reached Barton, she found him on the sidelines of a standoff between two Nebulas and a green girl she didn't recognize. Emerging from the shadows, Evie moved in stealthily, observing everyone in the cramped space. As she focused on the minds of those present, she discovered that Gamora was the adoptive sister Nebula had lost to Vormir.

The existence of two Nebulas confirmed what she had learned from Thanos: one was from the past and still loyally aligned with her father. And someway, somehow, during their jump through space-time, they had pulled a move straight out of the Parent Trap, slipping the wrong sister in their midst. The tension in the air was palpable as the "bad" Nebula held the stone-encrusted glove and aimed a space gun at her doppelganger. The two sisters were desperately trying to reason with the other Nebula, hoping she would see the truth about their father's intentions for the universe.

“Nebula, please listen to her,” Gamora urged, lowering her weapon. The present Nebula added, “You’ve seen what we’ve become. You can change this…” However, the other Nebula smiled bitterly and muttered, “He won’t let me.” Evie realized at that moment that there was no reaching her. Just as she prepared to fire at Gamora, Evie stepped out into the light. Her saber gleamed with a brilliant white light as she swiftly cut down the woman, preventing her from harming anyone present.

As blood and other components spilled to the floor, the sisters and Clint stood frozen in utter shock. Evie bent down to pick up the glove before offering a hand to Hawkeye, helping him off the floor. He mumbled a small thanks as they turned to face the sisters.

Gamora shifted her weight, eyeing the light sword in Evie’s hand.

“Where is he?” She asked tentatively.

Stark simply pointed upward before facing Nebula and asking, “Are we good here?” Nebula gave Gamora a slight nod.

“Yeah, we’re good. Thank you…” Gamora said, still wary of the woman with black lines scribbled across her glossed-over eyes. Evie gave her a curt in acknowledgment. Then suddenly, Friday was in her ear. 

“Ms. Stark, your father is unconscious! I believe the others urgently need reinforcements,” she said. Evie snapped at Clint, “We’ve got to go!” Together, they took the lead, guiding the sisters as they scrambled to reach the surface. As they ran, Evie suddenly skidded to a halt.

“Whoa, hey! What’s going on? Why did you stop?” Clint instantly circled back, trying to understand what had caused her to freeze, leaving the other two completely bewildered by Evie’s strange behavior. Overwhelmed by sensory input, Evie stared blankly at Hawkeye and muttered, “We’re not alone in this fight anymore.” 

“What?! What do you mean we’re not alone?!” he exclaimed. Evie closed her eyes, concentrating. The Black Order had landed, accompanied by their hordes of outriders, Chitauri, and Chitauri gorillas—massive, ape-like beasts that were ten times more savage and ruthless than the outriders. These were new creations made specifically for this conquest.

But there was more… More incoming.

Something equally as large was quickly approaching. Evie opened her eyes, disbelief mingling with a glimmer of hope. “Backup is on its way!” She grasped Clint’s arm and used their surrendering shadows to teleport to the surface. Leaving the sisters to their own devices in her rush. As the black fog scattered, they took in the full extent of the destruction caused by the bombings.

Evie’s gaze immediately fell upon Iron Man’s limp form while Thor lay in a heap, slumped over a rock. Steve looked beat to shit with his revered shield broken in half yet still attached to his arm.

In the sky above, the city-sized ship was spitting out leviathans as Steve struggled to get on his feet. Thanos had wrapped up his speech and was looking down on him, his army at his back, ringing the lip of the crater. Ready to be set loose at his command. Barton saw the spark in her eye and the twitch of her fingers. He was about to hold her back, to tell her to wait and devise a plan of attack, but she shoved the gauntlet into his hands and vanished in a blur of smoke before he even had a chance to open his mouth.

Unaware of their audience, Steve stared down Thanos. And even in the face of such overwhelming odds… he got to his feet. On the pure strength of his will alone, he tightened the strap of the shield to hold his broken radius stable with a pained grunt, ready to march on. But before he started walking towards the giant purple alien, Evie reappeared.

With eyes black as coal and baring her teeth, Evie used her powers to throw the Titan back several meters away, landing on his ass. Embarrassment and fury made him glare at the witch now on the battlefield, ready to engage him at the drop of a dime. Evie stood proudly with Steve, prepared to give them hell. As his ‘children’ ran to aid him, their comm piece sputtered, “-ap-...-comin-...-ot.”

Steve shook his head, trying to clear it.

Slowly, the sound returned, and words rang out loud and clear.

“Hey, Cap, you read me?”

They chanced a glance at each other, not quite believing what their ears were hearing. But then it happened again.

From the static, they once more heard the same voice. 

“Cap, it’s Sam. Can you hear me?”

Wilson's voice was calm and steady.

As Evie caught a glimmer of golden sparks from the corner of her eye, she and Steve turned to face it. 

"On your left."  

The cascade of light grew into a wide portal, revealing a beautiful amber glow. It provided a glimpse of the sun's brilliant rays, a beacon amidst their ash-darkened skies. As Steve's chest rose and fell with each deep breath of anticipation, Evie felt the moisture gathering at the corners of her eyes, her lids rimmed in red. At that moment, she wasn’t just feeling her own overwhelming hope; she could sense his as well. Grasping his hand for support, she tried to find an anchor to keep her from floating into space. Cap squeezed her hand tightly in response.

The silhouette of multiple figures began to come into focus, but their eyes darted upward at the sound of a rocket's propulsor. Together, they watched in awe as Falcon soared from the portal, his wings extended to their full length as he circled them. As they turned, following his flight path, dozens of similar sparkling doorways appeared, puncturing sparling holes into the battlefield. Having done a full three-sixty spin, they caught sight of who now stood at the closest threshold.

Leading the friendly forces was none other than the king of Wakanda, flanked by his most trusted general and his sister. Evie couldn’t fight the smile that spread from ear to ear when Shuri gave her a nod, powering up her weapons. Behind them, the others were now sharpened in her vision, Evie quickly identifying a few faces among the strangers.

In the sea of Wakandan warriors shouting their warcry to goad the enemy stood Groot, Ayo, and Steve’s oldest friend, Bucky Barnes. 

From a different portal, she watched Valkyrie in her glorious armor, emerge on a mystical white pegasus with Korg and Meek marching forward with the entire Asgardian forces. A heartbeat later, the crimson glow of Wanda’s magic drew their attention as she, too, descended from flight. From another, they saw the sorcerer Stephen Strange glide down to his feet, accompanied by whom Evie guessed was Rocket and Nebula’s crew known as the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Suddenly, Cap would hear clear as day how the air hitched and got stuck in her airways when Peter Parker quite literally swung in, retreating his cowl and giving her that long-missed smirk. Something even Rogers now had on his face as they watched how more and more friendly figures stepped through the portals.

From not too far away, Thor summoned his battleaxe, and Tony awoke to see a multitude of aircraft preparing to fire at the invaders. But what had his heart sputtering would be the arrival of his beloved wife, Pepper Potts, in her Rescue armor. With an ever-growing cavalry behind her, Potts gave Thanos the signature Stark death glare before snapping to Tony, ensuring he was ok. But then, without warning, the ground suddenly began to shift and quake. Rubble exploded upwards as a giant Scott Lang burst from the wreckage of the compound, safely delivering the Hulk, Iron Patriot, and Rocket to the others. 

As the sound of chanting took over, Steve and Evie took in their reinforcements before turning to stare at the Titan. He gave her one last squeeze of the hand before releasing her. As Evie started to billow off plumes of black smoke, summoning every ounce of power within, and the others gearing up for the fight, Captain America extended his free hand. Boastfully shouting, "AVENGERS–” In the blink of an eye, Mjolnir flew to his palm, the gush of wind tossing Evie’s hair. Tony’s gaze landed instantly on his daughter, and time seemed to have frozen momentarily. With eyes locked on each other, she mentally transmitted a hushed vow that he repeated back. 

“Whatever it takes…”

“Assemble.”