Chapter 9
“I should have tried harder to get her out.”
Steve repeated for the hundredth time while he was eating his lunch back at the tower with Tony, Dean and Cas. The others are around the tower doing their business. After he and Cas told everyone about Sydney, a heavy cloud was in the tower now as they all wished to do something but were not allowed and had no idea how to help anyway.
“There is nothing we can do now, Honey.” Tony murmured gently, trying to ease him, he moved to stand behind him and rested his hands on his tense shoulders then started to massage the muscles gently. Steve leaned back into his touch with a sigh. “Fury seems to insist we don’t get involved. I think we should just forget about the whole thing.”
“But she seems… familiar somehow.” Castiel muttered from the other side of the table, looking deep in thought. Dean stopped eating his sandwich and looked at Castiel with a confused frown.
“Who are you talking about?” Dean asked in confusion.
“Sydney… I saw something in her. It was familiar. Not sure what, but I saw it.” Castiel looked earnestly at Dean.
Dean just looked at him carefully for a few seconds then just shook his head.
“It doesn’t matter anyway.” Dean muttered with a sad twist to his lips. He wrapped an arm around Cas bringing him closer. “We might never see her again. So like Tony said, let’s just ignore the whole thing.”
Cas sighed and rested his head on Dean’s shoulder. Steve looked down sadly at his food while Tony wrapped his arms around his neck from behind and rested his chin on top of Steve’s head.
Steve had to admit that he also saw something familiar in Sydney.
But like Dean said, they might never see her again anyway.
***
“From Hawk Fleet to base, the Unknown ship is right below us, and we are flying at a high height like ordered.”
The Captain of the fleet called through the comms to the Air Force base where Rhodey was.
“From base to Hawk 1, keep your height and don’t get any closer. The ground forces and the tanks are on their way. The attack will be from all fronts at the same time, when I say the word.”
“Roger that.”
Rhodey ended the call and turned towards the other two military men in the room.
“It’s our last try, gentlemen.” He started sternly. “We tried to contact that ship in every way we know how. But it is ignoring our signals completely and keeps sending that fixed signals like it was waiting to do something.”
“We can’t wait until it does whatever it is.” The army colonel shook his head firmly. “It is enough that it showed hostile behavior towards our men before. Let’s give it what it gave us.”
“That if we actually managed to do it.” The other colonel muttered.
“What that supposed to mean?” the first turned towards him sharply.
“The reports showed that that ship has unusual defense system that incapacitate our usual ways. And we know it managed to destroy three armed helicopters and their missiles didn’t even manage to scratch it. Isn’t that right?”
“This time will be different.” The first said sharply, then moved towards a large map on the wall continuing: “Our plan is to distract it and attack it from three different fronts. The seven fighter jets will fire the missiles, and when it starts to defend, the tanks will attack with their grenades, meanwhile, the ground forces will get closer and try to preach it and control it from the inside.” Then he waved his arm as he turned back towards them. “Then we will check it and identify it.”
“I hope it will be as easy as you make it sound.” Rhodey shook his head with a sigh.
“It will be.”
“The ground forces and the tanks are in position, sir.” Came the captain’s voice from the comms.
“Perfect. Everything is going according to plan. Let’s begin our attack, gentlemen.”
Rhodey exchanged a worried look with the other men, before nodding in determination.
Rhodey took a deep breath before calling through the comms. “Begin the attack.”
The moment the words left his mouth, the attack started.
The seven jets lowered at the same time as their captain called out : “Keep your distance and fire your missiles. Five seconds between each missile. Three…Two…One…Zero.”
And the firing begin.
Seven missiles were fired at the ship.
Seven explosions sounded through the desert.
And the jets raised up again to prepare for another attack, leaving the Unknown ship down below in the middle of a heavy cloud of smoke and sand that covered completely from view.
“This time we will fire at the same time. And after their explosion, the tanks will start their attack. Three… two… on-“
Before he got to finish his sentence, the golden sphere emerged from the smoke and sand, and darted towards the fleet at a horrifying speed.
Eagle 1 was about to shout something, anything.
But he never got the chance.
His jet machines broke down suddenly, accompanying a loud ringing that preached his ears and made him let out a pained scream.
At the end of the scream, the jet exploded violently.
Then the second jet exploded.
And the third.
And the fourth.
The remaining three pilots didn’t know how and when the sphere managed to do that, but they turned around anyway in attempt to escape it, at the same moment the tanks starts their attack.
Hundreds of grenades were fired at the ship and exploded in a storm of sand and smoke.
The sphere turned around and darted towards the tanks.
Then the three jets came back to attack again.
At the same time, the ground forces lunged at the ship and fired at it generously while another group moved around it, waiting for the right moment to sneak into it and try to breakthrough-
But then, something unexpected happened.
The golden sphere stopped midair, for a second or two then it started to shake violently, then separated from it two identical spheres.
Everyone’s eyes widened as they stared at the scene. The three spheres glowed bright golden light that blinded everyone, like they had turned into three small suns.
Then they attacked. Each sphere darted towards a front.
One of them charged towards the tanks that started to explode one after the other. While their captain screamed through the comms:
“God, it is attacking us viciously! It changed into three identical spheres! We can’t defend ourselves, we will try to retreat! It’s-“
A violent explosion sounded through the comms, and the captain’s voice was cut off, which made everyone’s faces pale back at the base.
“Oh, God. I can’t believe this is happening.” One of them murmured in shock.
“Don’t jump into conclusions! Maybe the comms are down or-“
Before the first colonel finished his sentence, a voice sounded through the comms.
“From Eagle 6 to base, it is a disaster! I am the only survivor! Those golden spheres crushed everyone with no mercy! There are two down there and they are hunting down the poor army men and destroy them ruthlessly. The third one is chasing me down tirelessly and I am trying to escape fruitlessly! Dammit! It is not working! It is over!”
“Eject yourself from the jet Eagle 6!” Rhodey shouted. “Leave the jet! Do you hear me? Eject yourself immediately!”
But only the pained scream of the pilot sounded making everyone flinch, before the connection was cut off completely.
In the battlefield, the three spheres moved back towards the ship after crushing the last soldier, then they merged back into one sphere and took its place back on the ship.
Back at the base, silence filled the room, as they just exchanged silent looks for a while.
“Looks like we only have one choice now. We are clearly unable to deal with this.” Rhodey started bitterly.
“What do you suggest?” they asked him grimly.
“We have to call them.” Rhodey announced as his heart clinched in fear and worry. “We have to call the Avengers.”