Chapter 11
Dean stared nervously at the ship which remained calm and quiet from where they were standing.
“Are you sure you want to do this? You really don’t have to.” Castiel asked him quietly, obviously hoping that Dean would back out.
“Sorry, baby, but I can’t let Tony go in there by himself.” Dean murmured softly to him and pressed a kiss to his forehead in attempt to relax him.
“He also doesn’t have to do it either.” Steve said in frustration, not hiding that his super hearing caught what Dean was whispering to Cas. He just stared at Tony who was talking to Bruce, unaware of their conversation.
“It all depends on you now, Brucie Bear.” Tony said as he handed Bruce a small, complicated looking device. “We will get closer to the ship, and when we are ten meters away from it, you use this to release the right signals to stop the protection shield surrounding the ship.”
“I will do the best I can, Tony.” Bruce exhaled nervously. “But I can’t promise a thing right now. The device, as you said, is still trying to analyze the signals of the protection shield, and it looks very complicated.”
“Don’t worry about it. I am sure it will analyze it quickly enough. I made it myself, didn’t I?” Tony gave him a grin. “How much time we still have?”
“An hour and six minutes from now.”
“Good enough.” Then he turned to Dean. “Are you ready?”
“Are you sure it will not attack us?” Dean asked with another nervous glance towards the ship.
“We will not be sure until we get closer.”
“How reassuring.”
“Tony.” Steve murmured looking at the genius with pleading eyes, asking him to back down silently.
Tony looked at him then sighed, coming closer to him.
“It is going to be fine.” He reassured while cupping his face gently. “I promise you, I will come back in one piece to you.”
“You better. You know that I need you.” Steve murmured, pressing a kiss to Tony’s lips.
“And I need you back.” Tony whispered against his lips.
“You really, really don’t have to do this.” Castiel whispered again, pulling Dean’s attention back to him.
“I know.” He smiled as he felt the worry coming from Castiel through their bond, trying to send reassurance.
“I have a bad feeling about this, Dean.” Castiel insisted anxiously. “Just please, don’t.”
Dean took Castiel’s hands in his own and squeezed them gently.
“You have nothing to worry about.” He reassured with a smile. “I will be back before you know it, okay?”
“Okay.” Cas sighed. Dean kissed him on the forehead and pulled away just when Tony stepped back next to him.
“Ready?”
“Nope, but let’s go.”
“Good luck, my friends!” Thor boomed loudly from his place next Bruce, making them jump. “We will be here to protect you if anything goes south.”
“Thanks, buddy.” Dean smiled at him. With one last look at Castiel and Steve, they started to walk towards the ship.
“I swear Thor is going to kill me one day from the volume of his voice.” Tony groaned while he walked beside Dean. “He should go easy on me, I have a heart condition!”
“Oh, please! Like you are going to go out without a dramatic scene.” Dean rolled his eyes with a chuckle.
“What? Who doesn’t want to go out with a kickass bang? Death by Thor’s voice sounds humiliating and uncool!”
“I had uncool deaths before, so what?”
“I can’t believe you had reached a point where you can say such sentence without noticing how bizarre it sounds.”
“You get used to it.”
***
From afar, the army colonel watched Dean and Tony with wide eyes.
“What are they made of?!” he exclaimed in shock. “They are laughing and bickering while walking towards that death machine like they are having a friendly walk in the park!”
“They are Avengers.” Rhodey just shrugged beside him with a smile.
The colonel turned to him sharply and was about to say something but stopped, he just trailed his eyes back to the two men.
“Yeah,” he murmured quietly. “They are Avengers.”
***
“Forty meters and everything is still going well.”
Tony murmured quietly, eyes never leaving the ship.
“I feel like this stupid ball is watching us.” Dean whispered also staring at the ship.
“Well, of course it is.”
“You mean it could attack us at any moment of suspicion?!”
“I don’t think so. Machines don’t attack at suspicion. It will probably attack at any sign of hostility.”
“I hope so.”
“Guys!” Bruce’s voice called through the comms. “The device had made a great progress. I think it will decode the shield on time.”
“How much time it will give us to cross it?” Dean asked curiously.
“Not more than five seconds I am afraid.”
Tony and Dean shared a look, then the latter nodded firmly.
“I think it will be enough.”
“Please, be careful, guys.” Steve said anxiously.
“We will.”
They continued to walk towards the ship, but as they got closer, Dean started to stare at the ball with more focus as he remembered something.
“Dude, weren’t you working on a similar defense system for the tower?” He asked suddenly, looking over at Tony. “But the ball was bigger?”
Tony looked back at him in confusion.
“Well, yeah. But I let go of that project since the huge ball became too dangerous from the amount of weapons I programmed it with and started to chase everyone in the tower if they touched a knife or something. So I shut it down.” His eyes widened as he understood what Dean was getting at. “Wait, are you trying to say I might have made that? Future me, I mean.”
“You have to admit that your smell is all over it.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“The ship is hot red and gold for starters.” Dean rolled his eyes with a raised eyebrow.
Tony’s eyes widened even more and was about to say something, but Dean suddenly grabbed his arm tightly and stilled them both while staring at the golden sphere in panic.
Tony followed his gaze and froze in panic.
The sphere separated from the ship’s body and started to shake violently until it split into two identical spheres. One returned back to the ship’s body, while the other darted forward.
Right towards Tony and Dean.
***
“You are hiding something, Sydney. We know you do, so just get this over with.”
Natasha snapped sharply, had had gotten enough of Sydney’s attitude.
However, Sydney’s face remained emotionless and it threw Natasha a little.
“Everyone deserves to keep some of their secrets.” Sydney just shrugged coolly.
“Not if those secrets threatens us all.” Clint said angrily.
“That’s what you think.”
“Why are you doing this?” Sam asked more calmly. “We are trying to help you. But you insist in surrounding yourself with all this mystery. Why?”
Sam’s gentle voice and sincere eyes must have done some magic, because Sydney’s cold face broke a little then.
“I can’t say everything, Sam.” She whispered, sounding sincerely sorry and distressed. “I already said too much and already threatened my time. If I said more it might threaten my own existence, which I don’t really care about much but-“ she was quiet for a second then added. “But if my existence was affected it will affect my family. I can’t let that happen no matter what.”
The three of them were taken aback, not expecting that answer. Natasha stared at her with wide eyes. Sydney was trying to protect her family. The mission that led her here and got her stranded away from home for years was all to save her family from certain death.
And they were treating her like a criminal, forgetting in the process that, in the future, that woman is an Avenger. A hero.
Sydney then placed a gentle hand on Sam’s arm, looking at him sincerely.
“I meant no harm to your time.” She said quietly. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
Strangely, the touch didn’t irk Natasha or made her want to remove Sydney’s hand from Sam’s arm. The look Sydney was giving Sam was a look you don’t give to someone you are interested in. It was a look you give to a close family member.
Just then, they all heard loud, violent explosions from outside and Natasha saw Sydney’s hand started to shake on Sam’s arm.
“What was that?!” Clint exclaimed nervously.
“That.” Sydney bit her lower lip bitterly. “Is the disaster I was telling you about.”
***
“No!” Steve screamed in panic while Castiel’s body jerked violently when they saw the Sphere darting towards their husbands.
“It’s attacking them!” Thor shouted grapping his hammer tightly, ready to swing it towards the death sphere.
Rhodey and the colonel froze in panic with Rhodey’s heart almost stopping.
Dean pulled Tony towards the ground and covered him shouting: “Goddammit! It is doing it!”
Steve, Thor and Castiel were about to move fast to do something before the sphere could destroy Tony and Dean.
But the sphere just flew over them and away, completely ignoring them, until it disappeared in the horizon.
“Where is it going?!” Bruce exclaimed following it with his eyes.
Then a loud crack sounded in the air.
“It broke the sound barrier.” Tony murmured with wide eyes.
“Where did it go?” Castiel asked in confusion.
“I-I don’t know.” Steve answered nervously, trying to force himself to relax.
***
Dean exhaled as he got back to his feet while pulling Tony with him.
“God, for a moment there I thought-“
“Me too.” Tony cut him off nervously. “But I guess my theory was right.”
“All your theories are always right.” Dean commented with a smile.
“Luckily.”
“Nope. Because of that crazy brain of yours.”
“Thanks. I think.” Tony smiled back at him, relaxing a little.
“Seventeen meters and everything is still going well.” Dean reported through the comms as they started to walk again towards the ship.
“The device did it, guys! It decoded the protective shield’s code!” Bruce exclaimed excitedly.
“When can you undo the shield?” Dean asked anxiously.
“Any moment now. I just turn it on and the shield will be down for three to five seconds.”
“And what about that freakin’ ball?”
“It is supposed to be deactivated with the shield for a second or two then it will turn on again.”
“Perfect. Everything is perfect. Superb. So we pretty much only have two seconds or-“
“It will be enough.” Tony reassured with determination.
***
Meanwhile, Steve’s hands were shaking violently as he watched Tony and Dean walk towards the ship.
He felt Castiel’s gentle hand on his shoulder but he could tell that the angel was equally scared.
God, why did they insist in scaring the hell out of them?
“Now, guys!” Bruce shouted through the comms.
Then, Tony and Dean sprinted towards the ship as fast as they could, making Steve and Castiel’s bodies jerk again nervously.
***
The golden sphere was still during the two seconds it took Tony and Dean to reach the ship, the latter jumped to attach to it and pulled its door open to jump inside it then helped Tony up until they both stood inside the ship, panting heavily.
“God, I didn’t think it was going to be that easy.” Dean panted.
“I think I didn’t run like that all my life.” Tony said, also panting heavily.
“At least we got inside. But the door was open, did you notice that?”
“I was expecting that. Whoever built this ship is probably a cocky bastard who never thought anyone could go past the protective shield and the sphere.”
“But we did. Which meant anyone could have-“ he cut himself off as he stared at the inside of the ship. “Man, we are actually inside it!”
“It is spacious from the inside.” Tony commented, also looking around curiously. “It could fit four people. There is two piloting seats and two for passengers.” Then as he got closer he frowned deeply. “Look at this. Everything in here. It is all Starktech! It might be smaller but I recognize my tech anywhere.”
“Honestly, dude? I am not really that surprised.” Dean shrugged with a small smile.
Tony turned towards him with wide eyes and was about to say something but was interrupted.
“Tony, can you hear me?” Steve’s worried voice sounded through the comms.
“Yeah, baby. I am here. What is it?” he answered in a calming voice to his worried husband.
“Bruce’s comm went down when he activated the device for some reason. He is saying that the ship changed the code of the protective shield with a more complicated one.”
“You mean we are trapped here?!” Dean exclaimed in worry.
“We still have an hour to figure this out.” Tony assured him looking down at his watch. “Do you hear me, honey? We will find a way inside the ship to remove the shield and stop the countdown. You don’t have to worry.” Then he looked at the tech in front of him. “I think I found where all the ships archives are stored. I will tell JARVIS to transfer it back to his system to analyze it.”
“How are you going to tell him to do that?” Dean asked in confusion.
Tony took a very small device from his pocket and placed it under the main computer screen. They waited for a few seconds, then the screen turned on along with all the other tech inside the ship.
“I am successfully downloaded inside the Time ship, sir.” JARVIS’ voice sounded from around them.
“Whoah.” Dean murmured looking around with wide eyes.
“Copy all the ship’s archives and files into your system and analyze them for a way to stop the countdown. Then for a way to remove the shield.” Tony ordered firmly.
“As you wish, sir.”
***
The sphere appeared suddenly in the sky in New York while it darted with high speed, no radar managed to caught it as it searched for one person.
Sydney.
The ship’s captain who didn’t send any signal, indicating she was ready to take off since the start of the countdown.
And that was the main purpose of the defense system.
To bring the captain.
No matter what.
Then the sphere located her.
And darted towards her location.
***
In SHIELD headquarters, the observation team saw the sphere.
“An unknown body is heading towards us.”
And with efficient speed, the agents and the security moved to fend off the attack.
Then, they shot the target with their weapons as it got closer with efficiency.
And explosions sounded in New York’s sky.
***
“It is my robot guardian.” Sydney said nervously. “That is what I was afraid off.”
“And why did it come here?” Natasha asked anxiously.
“It is part of its system! Either I go to it or it comes for me.” then, she grabbed Natasha’s shoulders firmly. “Try to save the lives that are about to be lost! Tell them to stop fighting. To cease fire! And to let me go! And everything will be alright!”
Natasha was about to say something, but Fury trudged in the room ahead of a group of agents.
“No fucking way! Your trick will not fool anyone!” Fury barked sharply. “You are not getting out of here.”
“I will get out, wither you like it or not!” Sydney shouted viciously at his face.
“You will be transferred immediately to a safe bunker until we destroy your little robot.” Fury signaled for the agents to grab Sydney.
“You will never be able to! All your army is no match for it! It was built by the smartest person you ever met.” That made Natasha turned towards her with wide eyes. “It is unstoppable! Let me out before people lose their lives!”
“Stark?!” Natasha exclaimed in shock making Sydney look at her. Her face paling as she realized what she said.
“Take her.” Fury ordered his agents who immediately darted towards Sydney.
“Let her go, Fury! If future Tony really is the one who made that thing then there is no way to stop it!” Sam exclaimed anxiously.
“God, what is happening?” Clint gripped his head tightly with wide eyes, trying to take all of this in.
Sydney was viciously fighting with the agents.
“You idiots! I am trying to save you! I am-“
Before she could finish her shouting, another stronger explosion sounded, that shook the whole suite, and then a robotic voice sounded through the building.
“Warning! Evacuate the building. This is code zero. I repeat, this is code zero.”
“Oh God, code zero?!” Fury’s face paled at that.
He knew by code zero, it means that the enemy is way too powerful for their defenses.
Which meant Sydney was right.
She is going to get out of here.
“Goddammit, Stark! A pain in my ass even in the future!” he shouted in anger. “Kill her! Kill Hunter! Now!”
With his shout, the agents raised their guns towards Sydney.
“No, don’t!” Sam, Nat and Clint screamed and moved to try and stop them.
But then, the golden sphere stormed into the suite.
And before the agents could even turn towards it, it started its vicious attack.
It detected the guns pointed towards the captain and started what it was programmed to do.
To protect the captain.
Sam grabbed Natasha towards the floor to cover her with his body, Clint falling next to them as the first agent exploded then the other while the third screamed as he grabbed his head with blood falling from his ears, nose and mouth.
With pure terror, the others threw their weapons and ran out of the room in fear.
“You cowards! Kill her!” Fury screamed after them as he jumped towards one of the guns, then the sphere turned towards him, and-
“No!” Sydney shouted, and the sphere froze midair. “Don’t kill him!”
Fury’s eye widened in shock as he stared at her, not believing that she just saved his life, even though he just ordered his agents to kill her.
“Enough killing.” Sydney said bitterly, then she raised her tear filled eyes towards Sam, Nat and Clint. “I’m sorry. For everything.”
They all froze while staring at her, while the sphere grew bigger and bigger until it swallowed Sydney completely inside it, making them gasp in shock.
Then, the sphere darted out of the room so fast, disappearing back into the sky, leaving everyone behind frozen in place.
***
“Did you get everything?” Tony asked JARVIS anxiously.
“Yes, sir.” The AI answered. “But I didn’t find any way to stop the countdown, sir. The info is in an unknown language and I am still trying to figure it out as fast as possible.”
“What about Bruce? Did he manage to decode the shield?” Tony asked through the comms.
“He is doing his best.” Steve answered in worry. “He says it is very complicated.”
“I’d rather die than stay in this damned thing!” Dean murmured in frustration.
“Try to be patient, Dean. We still have forty minutes to figure this out.”
“Maybe there is another way.” Castiel’s voice sounded from the comms.
“What is it?” Dean asked hopefully.
“All the ship’s defenses are made to keep people out but is it made to keep people in?”
“This is genius, Cas!” Tony exclaimed excitedly.
“What? What is genius?” Dean asked in confusion.
“What Cas is trying to say is that the ship’s defenses will not prevent us from getting out.” Tony explained.
“And what about the shield?”
“In most times, this shield is made to only prevent the passage from one direction only.”
“Does that involve the golden sphere?”
Before Tony could answer, a loud crack sounded in the sky.
“The other sphere came back!” Tony exclaimed, pointing towards the sky.
“Dammit! I knew things won’t be this easy.” Dean snapped in frustration.
Tony stared at the approaching sphere that looked way bigger than before, as it darted towards the ship.
And directly towards its open door.
“What is happening?” Dean asked taking a few steps away from the door.
Then a pretty brunette got out of the sphere and stood frozen as she stared at them with wide eyes.
“Tony? Dean? How the hell did you get in here?” she exclaimed, like she had knew them all her life.
“You are Sydney, I presume.” Tony said instead, looking her up and down. “How did you get out of SHIELD?”
“No time for this! You need to get out! Now! You don’t have much time!”
“We still have at least thirty minutes till the countdown is done, it is-“ Dean started but was cut off.
“What countdown?! You don’t understand! The countdown would continue if I was away! But now that I am here it is different!”
“Tony! Dean! The countdown stopped suddenly!” Steve shouted. “Run! Get out of there!”
With his shout, the ship’s doors closed and its engines turned on.
“No.” Dean breathed with wide eyes.
Then a crack sounded through the air as the ship darted towards the sky to start a new journey.
In a new era.