clint barton

"My dad believed in innovation. My dad believed that necessity is the mother of invention. My dad believed we are capable of anything. And I don't like to argue with my dad. For the last three decades, Stark Industries has been the only company reaching for the stars. My dad was always looking up – but I like to keep my eyes on the ground under my feet.

We need Stark Industries. I believe in our mechanics, our coders, our technicians. They are quietly advancing mankind forward as the rest of us live out our lives. But I am not my father. I am not the man to take Stark Industries into the future. As of today, I am stepping down as CEO of Stark Industries. I'm grateful my dad gave me the opportunity to continue his life's work, but his life is not mine. I believe in our vision of the future – and it will continue without me. Now I'd like to propose a toast – to my father and to the future!"

The crowd bursts into applause. Clint raises his glass and smiles. The cameras flash. He reminds himself he only has to smile for one more hour. One more hour, and he'll be free.

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steve rogers

Stepan doesn't do kids. Children are too young to know their hands from their feet. Children are too young to understand a duty beyond family, or that country means more than life.

"What does a larch sprout grow into, but a larch tree?" his instructor said. "What does a young traitor grow into, but an older traitor?"

Stepan's not sure he has a good answer to that, but they haven't asked him to kill a kid yet. They must know how he'd choose.

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Bruce banner

Bruce isn't sure what's going on. His heart is thumping like a circus tent falling in. He can feel his blood racing and hot.

The world goes green.

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tony stark

"Good thing you called me in," says Tony. The other scientists are grumbling 'cause they just aren't good enough. One of them has started a finders-keepers spiel, and Tony says, "Losers weepers. And, ho boy, you are."

Back home they would have blacked his eye and broken his nose for that. Smart-ass Tony, talkie-Tony, shut-up-Tony. Well, here they'd better listen. Tony's the only one with a hope of figuring out this cube, and no, that's not ego, that's fact.

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natasha romanov

Government, Natasha thinks when she sees the man buying a bottle of water at the local convenience store. She can't see a gun, but that doesn't mean he hasn't got something worse.

Natasha's wearing a thin shirt and sweats, I-pods rammed in her ears with no music playing. She can't look older than early 20s and she surely seems less threatening than the pigeons that peck around her. He shouldn't be able to peg her as a threat, so she's surprised to see him head her way.

"Excuse me," he says. He's got a look on his face like he's permanently apologizing. If she weren't so sure he's government by the way his eyes go and hips move, she'd peg him for a divorcee Dad, who never seems to get the promotion that'll give him time at home.

She makes a show of taking out her earbuds. "What?"

"I'm looking for directions. Scarlet's Crossing."

Government, she thinks, and he knows that name. "Look," she says. "Sorry, but I don't really know my way around here too well." She gives him a sweet, apologetic smile.

"I see," he says. "Well, thank you, anyway."

She slides back in her earbuds, and pretends not to watch him go.