New Avengers
Tony looked as Carol and Rhodey restrained the villain of the week.
Quentin Beck was a brilliant inventor, but he’s unstable and his intention with the BARF tec wasn’t the best.
But honestly. Did he really think that this whole fake elemental monsters and Mysterio ? It took FRIDAY two seconds to find the drones and deactivate them.
“I gotta say I’m disappointed Mr. Beck. I thought you would use your talent for truly great things.”
“Dam you Stark. That was my invention ! I was gonna change the world !”
“By becoming a fake super hero ? Yeah I can see that working.”
Rhodey dragged the man away before he could rant more.
“God he’s annoying,”
“If he would use that brilliant brain, we would even know it was Pepper who fired him, and with the consult of mental health experts.”
After Stane, there is no way he would allow anyone who was unstable and would use his try for not good porpurses on S.I.
“Brilliant Brain is something I don’t think he has.” Rhodey said, closing the truck taking Beck to prison.
“Well. It all ends well. The only damage left behind is that light post that I can easily pay for.”
Vision flew to them.
“I have checked with the injured parties and they have been successfully handled to Doctor Palmer. Their injuries are minor and will recover in a day maximum.”
“Thanks Vis.”
“They also express their gratitude.”
“No needed, but aprecitated.”
They walked to the jet where the others were waiting.
“I gotta say, it’s nice to have a team like this.”
In truth, the Civil War ended up being some gift. It taught Tony how a true team works out. Not one where you are treated as a bank account and a spacegoat.
None of the New Avengers cared about what Tony could give them, but for him as a person. From the old team the only ones that did that where Rhodey, Vision, Thor, and Bruce, who would be welcomed back once he returns from where he is.
Rogers and his cronies weren’t healthy for him, and to be finally free from them was great.
“You look happier and healthy.” Rhodey smiled. “And now that you have true friends, who knows. Maybe you might willing to go out with someone again.”
“O sour patch, even if I wanted that, there is no one I would go out with right now.”
“Oh really ? Cause I have seen you stare at Yelena for quite some time now. And you two are...particular close.” He smirked at Tony.
Tony looked over to Yelena, who was talking to Vision in a corner.
Now everyone on this team is hot, no one is near being ungly, but he has to admit, Yelena for him is the most attractive one.
She’s also the one personality wise he likes the more. They get along very well. A great contrast from him and Natasha, who barley got along.
Unlike her, who only spoke about “wiping her ledger” Yelena actually takes steps to get out of the Red Room. The scars are visible on her and she tries to heal them by....not killing people,for,the good guys (if one could say the old SHIELD was good) Yelena sees therapists to help her break her conditioning. She doesn’t believe she’s the best, and actually asks for help when she needs it.
So yeah....a relationship with her, would be nice.
But he won’t pressure it. She is healing and frankly p, so is he. Their mental health is more important at the moment.
After they returned to the huge Avengers compound, while everyone else went to the common room, Yelena quietly went to a study.
It’s not like she doesn’t enjoy being with the others. She’s just....new, to this social life. She doesn’t know how to interact with others very well.
So she just came here to be a bit alone.
It’s crazy where life lead her. When Oksana freed her with the Red Dust, she was not sure what to do.
Her first plan had been to send Natasha the Red Dust, And had her deliver it to Tony. But seeing how her sister became a global fugitive, and Dreikov had to be stopped, she just decided to bring it to him herself.
It lead to her joining him and his friends and killing Dreikov, ending the Red Room for good, and freeing the Widows. As well as sending Alexei and Melina to the Raft (she still has some conflicting feelings about that, but she’s sure that after their work for Dreikov, they deserve to be there) She signed the accords because she felt they were right. Powerful and skilled people needed to be under check, and Then somehow she joined the Avengers.
She wasn’t sure at first. But seeing the damage Natasha had done with the info dump, and being a puppet of Captain America. She felt she needed to make up for it. To show that a Widow can leave the Red Room, she just needs to try it.
She found a therapist to help her out. Her teammates, particularly Tony, helped her by signaling her what was right, and what came from the Red Room so she could leave it behind. It was slow yes, but for the first time in years, Yelena felt she was regaining her life. That she’s back on control.
Well.....there is another reason she agreed to join and that is.....
"I thought I find you here." Tony said, sitting besides her.
"You know me so well."
She had to admit that Tony is her favorite person on this place, and none of them are bad mind you. He's just the one she...likes to be the most with.
Well they do spend a lot time together, it's kinda her job now. Unlike the rouges, the New Avengers refused to live off from his money alone. Yelena wanted to enjoy her freedom and that meant getting a job like normal people would. Fortunately, Pepper hired her to be Tony's private security guard.
"He always needs someone to take care of him." She said fondly. Despite breaking up, they still care for one another, and she wouldn't allow him to come in any harm.
How Natasha read this man so wrong is beyond her. Yelena is by no means a profiler, but even she knows that so called report is bullshit. A clear try of manipulation so that Tony would feel the need to proof himself to SHIELD.
Though from what she gets, her sister has a need to always be right. So she probably made herself believe that report is true, as its clear she doesn't like Tony, and probably tried to make others believe it, which worked with the so called Rouges.
Her feelings towards Natasha are mixed. She still cares for her, and remembers the good times. But to know that she left her behind on the Red Room with no care, and had multiple chances to go safe her....she won't feel bad when Natasha has to pay for her crimes.
But as for the other rouges, she hates them all. Specially Rogers. He reminded her too much of Alexei. Thinking they are the greatest gift of humanity. That might be a biological problem with super soldiers maybe....
"Well you aren't missing much. Stephen ranting about how Beck made him look bad, and Carol once again, trying to flirt with Daisy."
"God, how hasn't she noticed she's into her ?"
"I don't even know if Carol knows she's flirting with her." He shook his head. "Rhodey is gonna have a heart attack if they don't realize it soon."
"Ha. I doubt Rhodey will die knowing someone needs to take care of your ass."
"True, that's my sour patch for you."
Yelena chuckled a bit more. She really likes Tony.
Maybe a bit more than as a friend...
She has little experience with romance. Having never once in her life fallen in love, she has no idea herself how it feels. But the others have given her an idea.
And...she thinks that's what she is feeling right now.
Carol sat on the common room, with a drink at her hand.
She never thought that her return to Earth would end up with her staying. But with the Guardians of the Galaxy out there, and Thor working sometimes off world, she could enjoy her time back in here.
Of course, she would have enjoyed it more if her and Maria were....still together. But she understood why she had felt the need to break up. Carol barely came back during her time as space's protector. Maria wanted to have someone there to support her, and Carol was unable to do that. She wished her happiness with her fiancee.
Monica however insisted that Carol should try to find someone else, another woman to be with, now that she is on Earth.
Sadly for now there is not time for that. Captain America had left a mess of things when she returned. The fact that Fury enabled him angered her. She never thought he would fall so low, but at least Coulson managed to remain good. Getting a new SHIELD that Carol could agree with.
And also getting a very very hot daughter.
Her eyes turned towards the inhuman, Daisy.
Carol had felt a connection towards her fellow Kree victim, they both hated the bastards with passion.
"You are starting at her again." Stephen said, distracting her from her thoughts.
"What ?"
"You are starting at Johnson again."
"No I'm not !"
"Please Carol. It's kinda obvious."
"Shut up Stephen. I'm just admiring the view ok !"
"You seem to particularly admire her view alone."
"Well who else is there to admire. I'm a proud lesbian who only wants to fuck women, so you boys aren't for me. And Yelena is most likely into Tony, so why would I delude myself with that."
"Hm. But remember. Daisy has had a shit of time with her past relationships. Her first ex boyfriend turned out to be Hydra, while the second gave his life to defeat Hive."
"Well.....now she can potentially try it with a girl."
"Do you know if she is straight or not ?"
"She's bisexual. She confirmed it to me, that while she has never have a girlfriend, she has felt attraction to both men and women. So she's open game."
"Hm. Just be careful ok. Treat it with delicacy."
"Got it. Now can we talk about how Beck made you wizards look bad ? I mean he most likely inspired Mysterio from you."
"No, I am not staying for that. I'm gonna call Christine."
Stephen left to call his fiancee, leaving Carol alone with Daisy.
"What's bothering you tremors ?"
"God I hate that Mack told everyone about that nickname."
"Well I like it. It seems cool to me."
"Hm."
"So.....what's up ?"
"Nothing much. I've been trying to get in contact with Fitz and Simmons for a while. But it seems their mission is taking longer than expected."
"Well it might be nothing, it could be a minor complication."
"Yeah well....."
Just then, Rhodey came in.
"God, that mother fucker has gone and done it !"
"What's wrong ?" Daisy asked.
"Turn of the TV."
Carol did that and the news came out.
"Raft personal has just confirm from the recent Raft break out, that the ex Avengers, Sam Wilson, Clint Barton, and Wanda Maximoff, are among the escaped inmates. Footage from the prison shows both Steve Rogers, and Natasha Romanoff, helping in their escape."
The room froze for a bit.
"Shit."
Tony and Yelena also watched the news as they showed the break out.
"On their escape, 5 guards were harmed, and 2 were killed. It is said Rogers and Romanoff brought an unidentified jet with them, and left with their rest of their teammates. Raft personal is still recovering, and we should get more information if any other convict managed to escape. But folks let me tell you, from what we can know, there are a lot of dead. The question is, did Captain America lead this massacre on the Raft ?"
Tony sighted and places his head on his hands.
What the hell was Rogers thinking ? How did he thought this would help his cause ?
Not that there was much of helping the man. While the president and some officials had opened the posibility of pardoning Captain America and his team, and bringing them back to the Avengers, the overwhelming negative response both nationally and internationally killed those plans right of the bat. Elis might be a fan boy, but he is not gonna risk damaging the country's international relationships for one man. And the accords council is clear they want him under bars.
Lang, they managed to get a deal for, guy was clearly used (and Stephen found that Maximoff might have....messed with him a bit at the airport) and Barnes.......Barnes doesn't deserve to be the rest of his life at prison. Now that he is on a better place, Tony can see that, Barnes did not do....what he saw him do. At least not at his own will. And during the Civil War, his mental state was most likely compromised. So does two are getting other chances. But Rogers, Romanoff, Wilson, Barton, and Maximoff ? They are to blame for their actions, and no pardons are coming for them.
Desespartion maybe ? Maybe Rogers thought he and his team could go on "avenging" to proof that the accords are wrong ? Tony can already see the disaster that that would lead to.
It's also highly probable that Fury and Hill helped him and Romanoff out. Coulson said they have been trying to get back to control SHIELD, ever since he changed course on how they wanted to rebuild the organization (which was to make it just as rotten as before) but so far, very few agents are loyal to them.
Truly, Tony can't understand what Rogers was thinking, or how he thinks he can turn this around. Maybe they are still thinking that he would help them. That he would fix everything for them like he did before. Well, Tony is happy to disappointed them. That ship has long sailed. He helped Sarah Wilson and Laura Barton get better lifes for them and their children (and also gave the latter a good lawyer for her divorce) but that's as far as his kindness for the Rouges go.
"Oh Natasha." Yelena shook her head. "I swear, I don't know what is going on her head."
"It might be a desperate attempt to try to get things back to how they want. With no sign of pardons, Rogers would want to take matters into his own hands."
Tony sighted. They should have made a harder attempt to capture him and Romanoff. But with the rest of them in prison, and villains trying to take advantage of the Civil War. Not to mention the time they had to spend off healing from their injures, they never gave it maximum priority.
Now though, now they are gonna have to hunt them down, before things get....
"And we have more breaking news." Christine Everhardt interrupted from the news. Tony looked at her, and her face was somber...not a good sign. "We have now confirmed that another inmate has escaped the Raft prison, and the responsible for the massive deaths on the prison. Convicted serial killer Cletus Kasady, has also escaped the Raft Prison, using Rogers' break out to escape his execution. Kasady is extremely dangerous, and should be treated as such..."
Tony stood up after hearing that.
"Fuck !" He yelled. "Oh fuck, for fuck's sake Rogers, now you have gone and done it !"
"What ?" Yelena asked. "What is it about this man ?"
"Cletus Kasady is the most dangerous serial killer of America, possibly the world. He killed more people that any other single individual, and hid the bodies so well...If he is out there, he will continue his killing spree."
"Yeah but I mean. He is just a regular man isn't he ? It should not be a problem for us."
"You are right about that, but...."
"Monster !" A guard being interviewed said, interrupting their talk. "That's how Kasady escaped, he turned into this red monster with fangs, he killed everyone that came across him, Guards, visitors, even inmates !"
Tony and Yelena shut up at that.
Kasady turning into monster....it might seem fake, but there is also that monster on...
"Boss, Director Coulson is calling for a meeting on the situation." FRIDAY said threw the comes.
"Go...got it. FRI. We'll be there."
The New Avengers sat down with the director as they thought what to do.
"So." Coulson said. "This is a horrible situation."
"You tell me." Rhodey said. "What the hell was Rogers thinking ?"
"While dealing with the Rouges is an issue we must tackle Colonel. I think we have a bigger fish to fry. Cletus Kasady is the most immediate threat."
"Is it true though ?" Carol asked. "That he somehow turned into a monster ?"
"I had FRIDAY get footage from the Raft's cameras and...well see it for yourself."
Tony showed it on the screen. A big red monster, with...tentacles ? coming out of it's back, and big sharp fangs.
"Shit.."
"This thing killed everything it came across." Coulson said severely. "It even killed Blonsky, who could rival the Hulk. It's clear whatever happened to Kasady to turn him into this, has make him a level 10 threat. Our priority is to stop it. Either by capturing it, or killing it."
"But how do we deal with that." Yelena asked. "We know nothing about it."
"We don't." Tony agreed. "But I think I know someone who might, and he might also know about Kasady."
Tony showed them a picture of a man.
"This is Eddie Brock. He's the only person outside the prison staff that Kasady agreed to speak too. In fact, it was thanks to that interview that Brock managed to find where Kasady hid the bodies. It was that that got Kasady sentenced to death."
"So he's a clear target." Rhodey said.
"True. But Brock is also....an interesting individual. He's been around many things recently, like murderers and theifs being killed, he is there somehow. He was also the only witness to the explosion of the Life Foundation's rocket, and the death of Carlton Drake. He's also the one that exposed the Life Foundation's corrupt human experimantion that got it shut down, and many arrested."
"And you don't think this is a coincidence." Yelena said.
"No, because on the few times Brock is not around, this one is."
He showed them a picture of a monster similar to the one on the Raft, only this one was black.
"This thing has been called by some folks on San Fransisco as...the Lethal Protector. It's just like Kasady's but it only hunts down theifs, criminals, and rotten people in general. It has never gone against an innocent before."
"And you think that Brock and this monster...are the same."
"I nailed it on Spiderman's identity. I'm pretty sure I got this one right too."
"Ok. Even if that's wrong, Brock is a person of interest in this." Coulson said. "We should get him to come here, and see what he knows. We can figure out of he is a...lethal protector then. I'll call Thor to see if he can help out as well. I want everyone to prepare, as soon as we find Kasady, we need to strike him. Who know what a man like him would do now that he's enchanced. Or the chaos he'll cause...."
Fitz and Simmons finished up hacking the computer of the old SHIELD base.
"Do you think the location on that prison Fury still has is here ?" She asked.
"It has to be, other wise I would be lost on where he is keeping that..."
Just then, the door opened. A red haired man came to them.
"Eh sir. what are you doing...."
BAM !
Without warning, the man punched Fitz on the face.
"FITZ !"
Simmons tried to help him, but the man swatter her away. He kicked and kicked Fitz on the ground, until he stopped moving.
Simmons shook, knowing who this was.
"You are....Cletus Kasady !"
He smirked at her.
"Hello !"
He turned back to the computer.
"Now let's see here."
Carnage took over his hands, and hacked into the computer.
"Is this what you wanted ?"
Cletus smiled as the file showed him the secret prison....and the person he is looking for.
"Frances Barrison, prisoner 87...she's alive !"
Fitz started to struggle on the ground again. Cletus changed into Carnage and grabbed him.
"FITZ NO !" Simmons yelled.
"Jemma..I lov.."
He wasn't allowed to finish. Carnage threw him at his mouth, and ate Fitz's head.
"NOOOO !" Simmons could only watch as he lover was eaten by Carnage.
He turned to her.
"Hm. Tasty. Don't worry, you will join him as well !"
The last thing Simmons saw, were Carnage's jaws coming straight towards her head.