The Best Laid Plans
The team had scattered across the city.
My hand was on Wanda’s shoulder, my gift combining with her mental manipulation. Twisting red orange vapor flowed from her hands as we used our combined influences to evacuate the citizens of Sokovia. An occasional update on the headset, the only thing tethering us to the team. Everything seemed like it was going to plan until…
We were flying. The city was torn from the ground and began rising. We had managed to evacuate the bulk of the city before lift-off but there were still a large number of people left: watching the bridge collapsing, screaming as Ultron’s sentries clawed their way onto the streets. I lost track of the others as I nudged* people into buildings, away from the monsters.
-
Metal fingers wrapped around my neck, I saw the reflection and the fear in the eyes of the lady I had just moved out of the way. Letting my body go limp, I waited for the hand to relax as I slipped the dagger from my sheath. A flash of sharp steel and the robot fell to the ground, another stroke severed its head for good measure.
Tony was calculating solutions as we rose into the clouds,
“We’ve got to blow the rock.”
“There are still people on this rock Stark.”
“If this thing drops it’ll kill millions. Much higher, and there won’t be anyone left to worry about.”
The world was chaos. The enemy ranks were focused on the fighters. I was dodging shots, guarding a group of scared civilians. One of the Ultron’s sentries was targeting a child trying to hide in an alcove. I felt his fear as the machine took aim. Running forward, knife in hand. My face became an emotionless mask as the fire in my veins became an unbearable heat. One hand on the shoulder, the other wrapped around the metal chest, driving the point into the hydraulic pump. Energy arcing through my hands, jolting the hunk of metal. I let go, the light behind the visor dying as it fell. I retrieved my knife and gathered the child in my arms. We were in the clouds, shrouding everything in thick shadow, that's when I noticed.
Bright in the dim fog, my body, glowing as I calmed the frightened. People gathering around me, moths to my warm flame. Pulling people together, I directed them into a concrete building, away from gunfire.
Dimly, I heard the others discussing the ethical dilemma as we broke through the clouds.
“Fury, you son-of-a-gun.” Steve’s shout gave me the first hint of what had happened.
I stepped out to see a floating lifeboat hovering at the edge of the landmass. The Falcon swooping past to take out Ultron sentries, come to attack this new escape. I could hear Maria Hill in our comms and War Machine was picking off fleeing ultrons.
“Come on, quickly now. Go, don’t look down.” I herded my group onto the deck of the nearest ship. A mother was crying for a missing child, an infant in her arms.
“*Go*. I’ll get her.” I ran for the partially collapsed building she had come from. Tendrils of pain and fear led me through the rubble to a trapped girl. I numbed her quickly, checking for any internal bleeding before I attempted to lift the heavy beam off her legs. “Guys, I need a little help-” I’d not finished speaking before the beam was lifted in a flash of metal. I pulled the whimpering girl out before lifting her into my arms, not letting myself be distracted by her rescuer. “There’s someone else over there.” I pointed briefly before running to the aircraft, passing the child to her mother. I returned to the rubble where James Barnes was pulling a man from the debris. One after another I located victims, healing what I could. Barnes freed them from rubble, carrying any injured adults. We worked in tandem, anticipating the other’s movements. The occasional hostile -quickly put out of action by the super soldier.
“Any more heat signatures, Tony?”
“Just those waiting on the bridge, get on that shuttle, you’ve done your bit.”
I was just in time to see Clint running to grab the last child. In time to see the quin-jet firing down the street. When the dust settled, I watched Pietro fall. A shockwave of red smoke rippled across the city vaporizing the remaining robots in the wave of grief as Wanda realized her twin was dead. I helped Steve carry his body onto the last lifeboat. Sitting across from Clint as he laid on the opposite bench.
Suddenly the city was dropping. I heard Tony and Thor prepare to blow the city out of the sky. Nat was trying to reach the Hulk on the jet he’d thrown Ultron out of. A concussive blast rocked the ship and Vision flew in, depositing Wanda on the bench beside me. Catching my breath as the life-boat docked in the carrier. I put an arm around Wanda. She seemed frozen, staring at the lifeless form of her brother. The deep pain of grief flooded me, sobering me from the stupor of exhaustion. I Squeezed her gently before I got to my feet.
Pain, injury, grief throbbed in the air around the refugees as I wove through the huddled masses. I healed, eased pain, comforted, until I was stumbling with exhaustion. A strong arm caught me before I face-planted on the deck.
“That’s enough.” A gruff voice revealed Barnes was holding me upright, a gentle force directing me to a bench. He cut off my objection before I could open my mouth. “We’ve landed. Medical teams are on-site.” I curled up on the bench, finally feeling my own pain. Barnes took a seat near my head as the shakes started. Cold crept up my ankles and fingers as the world faded from my awareness.
A warm hand, fingers curling through my hair.
Safe
A moment of comfort before the pain took me out.