Avengers Protocol

"Hey Tony, how do you work the television set?" Said Captain America, as he walked into the lab where Tony Stark and Bruce Banner were working. "First of all, it is a Plasma TV and second, I left directions to all the electronics on your bed," Tony grunted, still working on his project. Steve left, and Tony and Bruce started talking again in hushed tones. Bruce asked, "Are you really wanting to build another version of Ultron?" Tony thought a moment before answering, "This time it won't be like Ultron. This armor will be able to copy the moves of every superhero and every villain and use it against bad people."

Meanwhile, in his archery range on the sixth floor of Avengers Tower, Clint Barton, A.K.A. Hawkeye, was shooting arrows with clay pigeon tips while Natasha Romanov, the Black Widow, was shooting them with a Colt 1911 handgun. "Nat, do you know what Stark and Banner are working on in the robotics lab?" Asked Clint. Widow looked him in the eyes, shot the last arrow, and said, "Clint, I may be a spy, but I don't care what those two science nerds are doing." She walked out of the room, leaving Clint by himself.

Clint walked into the living room and sat next to Steve, who was watching The Sound of Music. "Someone told me this movie was about Nazis who sing. Why would Nazis sing?" Questioned Captain America. Clint replied, "They weren't Nazis. Captain Von Trapp was told that he had to be a Nazi Naval commander, but he refused. So, Maria, the Captain, and the children escaped to Switzerland and then to America." Steve stared at the T.V. where Maria and the Von Trapp children were singing 'A Lonely Goatherd'. From the kitchen, Thor too was watching as he made a sandwich with the last pickles. "Will the Big Green Man be angry if I have the last pickle?" Thor asked. Tony and Bruce walked in at that moment. Bruce rolled his eyes and said, "Thor, for one thing, I don't like pickles. Second, stop calling me that!" Steve turned off the TV as Widow entered the living space. They all stood there looking at a wall that Ultron had broken four months earlier. All of a sudden, the Tower's lights turned red and a siren started going off. "Sir, there have been reports of a man with a red body who stormed the Chancellor of Germany's office. It seems he has a device that is turning the weather to fifteen below zero. The barometric pressure has decreased significantly," reported Jarvis. Steve looked at everyone and said, "Okay, Avengers. I think I know who it is… I don't know why or how, but I'll tell you on the way. Avengers, Assemble!"

"Red Skull? I thought you killed him before you crashed? How would he be alive?" Tony inquired. Steve sighed, "I don't know, Tony. All I do know is that I have the same feeling I did seventy-two years ago before I crashed into the ice. We have to stop him!" As they flew towards Germany, the plane started to malfunction. "Hawkeye, what's happening?" Cap yelled. "I don't know! I can't steady this damn thing!" Came the reply. "Thing? Did you just call something I made a thing?" Iron Man shouted. "I'm more focused on safely landing this jet then to call it a Quinjet! You are an egotistical playboy!" Clint was angry now. Widow was fed up with the constant bickering between them and bellowed, "Both of you, QUIIIIIIEEETT! I'm tired of you two and Thor and Bruce acting like five year-olds!" The whole team became really quiet. Then, all of a sudden, they impacted with something. Ice, thought Captain America. This time, he wasn't going to leave the people he cared about and be stuck for seventy years! Steve swam to Thor and Hulk, who were the only other ones awake. He motioned for them to grab Tony, Clint, and Natasha. Moments later, Thor and Hulk jumped up onto an iceberg with the their three unconscious friends. They had landed in a frozen lake. Within four minutes, everyone was conscious. Clint sat up first and asked where Steve was. "I'm not exactly sure," said Bruce, who had turned back into his normal self. It had been five minutes since the crash. Tony finally spoke up, "I don't know why we are standing here. One of our teammates is probably drowning down there. I'll be back in a few." He jumped into the churning water. Luckily, his suit was waterproof and had a built in wetsuit to keep some of the cold out. He swam towards the still sinking Quinjet.

"Hey Jarvis, have Pep send the Avengjet, we are at the Embalse del Ebro, it's a large lake in Spain. Tell her it's a long story and I will talk to her later." Just then, Tony saw Cap. His skin was almost sky blue. He grabbed Steve by his shoulder straps and shot up through a thin layer of ice. When Tony set Steve down, Widow started C.P.R. "Come on, Rogers!" Widow gasped. After a couple of minutes, it seemed like all hope was lost. Then, like he'd been hit with an electric charge, Cap sat up coughing. "Wh-who sat on my chest? I think you broke one of my ribs." Widow had thought that since he was a supersoldier, she had to use more pressure to revive him. She apologized and said, "So help me, if you ever do that again, you're a deadman, Rogers." They all smiled, until Cap interrupted, "Okay, this is way too real. Red Skull is trying to redo the past. But, why?" Tony rolled his eyes, "You wanna quit now?" Cap just ignored Ironman's jab. The team heard a whoosh of air above them and saw the new jet. "All aboard the Avengjet!" called Ironman. "Nice! Wait, what did you call it?" asked Hawkeye. "I call it the Avengjet. It has alcoves in it for each of us, plus a fridge and bathroom," announced Ironman. They boarded the jet and took off for Berlin.

On the way, Steve briefed Bruce, Thor, Ironman, Hawkeye, and Widow on all he knew about Red Skull, including what happened the day he crashed. "He won't back down from a fight. Assuming he has allies, he will be a lot stronger since the last time he was here." Natasha looked up and said, "You single handedly took him down the first time, what makes you think he'll be stronger now?" Steve sighed, "The Teseract did that. And, I didn't exactly come home the town hero. This time, everyone gets out safe." Everything was quiet, except for the jet's engine. "Sir, you are approaching Berlin," reported Jarvis. "Thanks Jarvis. Listen up guys, I have a fool proof plan, so let's hope we are against fools. Hulk, Thor, you need to secure the surrounding area. Grab any civilians and take them to the old air raid bunkers. The closest one was Hitler's personal bunker. They won't want to go in, but it is the safest place. Widow, we need you either outside or in the jet, choose." Widow rolled her eyes, "I know how to work the jet better than you or Clint, so I'll woman the artillery." "Fine, Hawkeye, can you secure the chancellor if we keep the minions busy?" asked Captain America. "Yep," answered Clint. "And Tony, I need eyes on the Skull." Tony flew off to find the Skull, Thor and Hulk went to find civilians, while Clint went to secure the Chancellor. Steve got on his motorcycle and rode out the back of the jet. Natasha flew up and flew closer to the building, since they had stopped three blocks away.

"Holy Bolshevik! Is that an ice castle?" Widow asked into the team's com system. She set the jet's laser guns to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and fired them at different ice walls. "Guys, I've got eyes on the Skull. He has a throne made out of ice and has guards holding hostages. What is this, Frozen-fest?!" reported Tony. He flew inside one of the melted walls and continued towards Red Skull's 'throne room'. All of a sudden, he lost control of his armor and flew into the nearest wall. Tony groaned and thought, what the hell was that? He heard a reply in his head, well, well, so we meet again Tony Stark. You know who I am. Out loud, Tony yelled, "MODOK! What are you doing here? Come out of the shadows, you coward!" MODOK was a floating head with the creepy ability to mind control people and machines. Wanda could do the same, but she uses it for good. "Fine, Stark. You ruin everything. I'll tell you why I'm here. Red Skull has offered me a job. If I side with him, we will rule the world together!" MODOK said, triumphantly. "Oh cool! Sooo, when's the wedding?" Tony questioned, sarcastically. Next thing he knew, his back hit the wall again. I probably shouldn't have said that, Tony thought. Meanwhile, in another part of the ice castle, Steve was fighting his way to the Skull. How did he gather so many minions this fast, without alerting S.H.I.E.L.D., Cap wondered. He threw his shield again, and knocked an ice pillar over and onto some bad guys. All of a sudden, Cap heard a whisper of such terror that he jumped. "We meet again, Captain," said the voice. "Skull?" Captain America asked. "No… Think again. Think back to… Transylvania," replied the deathly voice. Steve thought, oh no, it can't be. "How is it possible?" Steve asked. "You died 73 years ago. Skull-his minions killed you!"

The voice chuckled, "Ah, but that was a hoax. I had decided that I didn't need to be on the side of the Allies. I was a king, and only Red Skull treated me like it. So, I joined him. His plan was to make sure it looked like he died. Together, with a few allies of our own, we have planned a takeover. I will rule all of Europe!" the creature thundered. Steve stood up from the kneeling position he was in and said, "You won't win. The light has gotten brighter, Count." The last thing he saw was Count Dracula pounce towards him. Then: black.