The Avengers II – Chapter 4
Captain America grimaced when Natasha named Outcast, as did the others, but only Hulk had the audacity to groan loudly. Hawkeye quickly walked up to Natasha and asked quietly, "What the heck are you doing? He's not a pet that you can just name all of a sudden."
"No," she replied with a bite in her voice. "He's a boy who has been tortured and forced into doing something that he really doesn't want to do. I may be ruthless when it comes to fighting, but Derek is not an actual threat here. I think the real threat is Eagleflight 1."
"It's true," Iron Man said, strolling over to the twosome. "Besides, give the kid a break. After all, he is just a kid."
"I have seen more than all of you combined have," Derek said sharply. "Do not think that you can influence me, Anthony Stark." Tony backed off and whispered to Hulk, "Scary." Hulk nodded, but shifted back to Bruce Banner.
"It would appear that we require your assistance, Derek," Thor mused aloud. "Although I am not certain you would desire to help us. If you did, though, we would need you to help us get out of this renegade base."
"I will think about it," Derek said, softer this time. The Avengers turned and walked to the door. Before they were let out, though, Derek said, "I am sorry for hurting you, Natasha Romanov. I will not do it again."
Back in Thor's room, everyone gathered and sat around waiting. Natasha went into the tiny bathroom to fix her makeup. But Captain America contemplated intensely over the newfound knowledge that they had discovered. It appeared as if this boy, now going by the name of Derek, was their only way out. But how would they be able to release him from the mind block? That was the lone thing that stood in between them and escape. How could they… "Tony," the captain said abruptly. "If I could get you Outcast and a laboratory, could you remove the mental block that's holding him back?"
"Maybe," Tony said cryptically. "It all depends on the lab, now doesn't it?"
"Yes or no, Stark. I need an answer."
"Fine, don't get so touchy! Yes. I probably could. Why, are you planning something like that?"
"More or less. But first, I'm thinking that if Outcast has all the powers of any superhero, then he might be a 'technopath'. If so, we could get him to make our comlinks work again. Then we can contact Nick."
"True…" Hawkeye's voice came from behind them. The archer had snuck up on them again.
"Quit doing that!" Tony yelled.
"Sorry. So, all Natasha and I need to do is get Derek" Hawkeye said the word sullenly "out of his cell, bring him here, let Stark tinker in his brain awhile, and have him mess with our comlinks. Sounds simple enough. What do you say, tin man?" he addressed the glowering Tony.
"I say you keep your negative nicknames to yourself," Tony replied dryly. "I could name you a few things if I wanted. Yet I haven't."
"I seem to recall being called 'Legolas' once before. And at least I'm not in a can!"
"Would you…"
"Quiet!" Captain America shouted. "We need to focus on the matter at hand! I seriously wish you two would stop bickering. Now, let's get back to the real problem. Yes, you and Natasha need to try to get him. Tony, do you think you can work here or in a lab?"
"Well, I could try to work here. It might take a few minutes longer, but I could do it, I suppose," Tony muttered darkly, still feeling bad-tempered.
"Good. Natasha!" the captain called.
"Coming," she answered and walked into the room. Her scarlet hair was tied back and her weapons were all in place. Natasha looked ready for anything. "I'm all set. Hawkeye, let's go." In an instant, the two agents were gone.
"Ooo-kay, that was quick," Tony said. Bruce came in and asked, "Hey, guys, what's up?" By their sober faces he could tell that whatever the enigma was, it was not fun at all.
Black Widow and Hawkeye crept down the long hallway to Derek's cell. They knocked out the guards and entered in the most password that Captain America had given them. When the door opened, the two agents crept in. Derek's eyes flicked open, now the unnatural green again, but relaxed when he saw who it was. "Derek, we're going to get you out," Black Widow whispered. The teenager nodded and let them loose his restraints. As soon as he was free, he bolted. "Wait…" Hawkeye cried, but Derek was gone. "Nut," the archer said.
"Maybe he's going to…come on!" Black Widow told him. They ran back down to Thor's room and found Thor, Bruce, and Steve surrounding Derek. Tony wasn't in sight. "How did you know to come here?" Natasha asked Derek.
"I read your mind," Derek told her as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Oh," she said and remained near Hawkeye's side. Tony walked in then carrying something technology-related and said, "Derek, lie on the bed." Derek complied, and Tony carefully placed the tech on his head. "Okay, now this might…"
"Don't worry if it hurts me," Derek said fiercely, his ebony hair falling over his eyes.
"Are our thoughts not private in front of this boy?" Thor whispered to Captain America. Steve had walked to the end of the bed and was watching warily.
A translucent screen appeared over Derek's head, and Tony tapped on it for awhile. Apprehension rose when an image of the teenager's brain came up in place of the screen. Using great care, Tony reached into it. Derek writhed on the bed but remained silent. The billionaire/playboy very slowly brought out an image microchip out of the transparent brain, and Derek let out a small cry. His hand was rigid. Natasha took it and held Derek's hand. He gripped hard, but she didn't mind.
Everyone, even Thor, gasped when, out of the side of Derek's head from under his long hair came out the real microchip. It had the smallest bit of blood on it, and Derek twisted in agony. Tony let the screen down and grabbed the chip before it fell to the ground. "That could have killed him!" Steve cried.
"No," Tony said. "I figured that he'd most likely have the ability of regeneration, since Bruce pounded him but still we saw no wounds. That made me figure that out. So it gave us a much better, and quicker, way of taking this chip out." He studied the chip in his palm.
Natasha asked Derek, "Are you okay?"
"Mmm-hmm," he replied sluggishly. "My head still hurts, but it'll pass."
"Can you help us now?" Hawkeye asked quickly, impatient.
Derek nodded and stood up. "I can feel my absent power returning. We should go, before agents get here."
"All right," Captain America said. "Avengers, let's break out." They all nodded their agreement, and one-by-one jumped out of the window. They landed on the ground hard and watched Outcast leap. He landed gracefully in front of them and began to run aggressively; like a cheetah. They sprinted after him and prepared to battle for their freedom.