Circuit Breaker
'Tony, get that damn turbine up to speed!' Georgia said urgently into the earpiece, having lost her balance due to the descend of the helicarrier.
'I'm working on it!' he snapped back. Georgia regained her footing, and continued working her way back to the bridge.
"I'm here." she said, running into the room. Fury looked at her from his position, gun in hand.
"What's going on?" she demanded, pulling out her own gun and glancing around warily.
"We've been attacked." Fury started to explain.
"I've noticed." Georgia said dryly, and walking over to the computer that had an arrow sticking out of it's USB port.
"What the hell?" she murmured, pulling it out.
"One of our compromised agents." Fury explained.
"Gotcha." Georgia answered. "Stark's working on getting the damaged engine back online. He should be done within minutes, do you really think I need to do this?"
"A few minutes may be a few minutes too late." Fury said shortly. Georgia sighed, and allowed herself to scan the computer software.
"The controls on the engine are completely fried. There's really no way I can bring it back online unless I shut down the whole system completely. And doing that would jeopardize Stark's work with the damaged turbine, and shut down all the other, working engines."
Her eyes returned back to normal. "We're just gonna have to trust Stark with this one." she said.
After speaking, the blinding pain from the last virus encounter resurfaced, this time more powerful than the last. She cried out in pain, and fell to the ground, unconscious.
...
Georgia woke up in one of the infirmary rooms. Her head still ached, but was otherwise unharmed.
As her eyes fluttered open, she realized that someone was sitting next to her.
"Oh... hi Steve." she said quietly, sitting up slightly.
He smiled at her as she came to. "How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice concerned.
Georgia shrugged. "Never better. Although... I was hoping to wake up and this whole ordeal just be a dream... but of course, there you are. Here I am." she smiled slightly.
Steve smiled back. "Well, I'm glad you're alright Miss. Mc... Georgia." he said.
"Thanks, Cap." she sighed, rolling her tight shoulders. "So. What happened after I passed out?"
"Well, Stark got the engine working. And Agent Clint Barton, the agent that Loki had put under his mind control, is back to his real self..." he started, then hesitated. "But... Loki's free. Banner and Thor both fell out of the helicarrier... and... Phil Coulson is dead."
Although Georgia had no idea who this 'Phil Coulson' was, she saw that it meant something to Steve. "I'm sorry to hear that.." she murmured, putting a small hand on his arm in comfort. "So... what's happening from here?"
"We're going to fight him. And his army." Steve stated. "We're heading out soon... I just wanted to let you know where we're going."
Georgia stared at him incredulously. "I better be included in this 'we're', Captain." she said, sitting up fully and crossing her arms. "I'm not staying on this damned thing with Fury and the rest of these people."
"But.. you've been hurt." Steve stammered, looking down. Georgia rolled her eyes.
"And I suppose this Barton guy was hurt as well, yeah? Is he included in this?" she demanded.
"Well, yes. But he's a special agent. He's been trained for combat..." Steve said. "And you said that you don't want to be a hero before... so..."
"I don't wanna be a hero, you're right. But I'm pretty much doomed to be, since I'm part of this now. I've killed a man, Steve. I killed a man to keep other people safe. Though it's hardly noble to take a person's life, and I do regret it... I pretty much crossed the point of no return in this 'hero' shit."
She took a pause before continuing. "If I'm doing this, I might as well not half-ass it, right?" she demanded, eyeing Steve.
He finally smiled. "If you really want to do this..." he started.
"No, I don't want to do this. The point is, I have to." she said, and then cleared her throat. "Y'know. Because I don't want to be on this helicarrier anymore. Fury's just gonna piss me off and I really don't want to be around him after finding out that I'm a living assembly line for weapons of mass destruction."
Steve grinned. "Fair enough. Do you have a suit?" he asked, standing up and helping her out of her hospital bed.
Georgia raised her eyebrows. "Uh, no." she said. "Not a hero, remember?"
"Well get one. And suit up." he said, turning to leave. "Meet me at the bridge in ten minutes, we're taking a Quinjet to Manhattan."
"Wonderful. My first trip to New York, and I'm going to spend it fighting aliens." she said, walking out behind him. She hurried down the halls back to the bridge and to the same room that she had gotten her first S.H.I.E.L.D uniform. She changed into a new one, burning off the S.H.I.E.L.D symbol just like before. She left off the gloves, to keep her hands free to use her electricity.
"Okay... now I need some type of mask..." she said to herself, glancing around. Her eyes fell on the metal of the walls. She cocked her head and scanned it. The metal could conduct an electrical current, so she could manipulate it.
Using her ability, she carved a shining, silver mask from the metal. It was a complete circle, designed to go under her hair and up over her face. Georgia tightened it enough that it wouldn't fall off very easily in combat.
Combat. The thought frightened Georgia. She knew she had to help her teammates in any way she could.
She froze as she thought the word 'teammates'. It was so unlike her, to want to be a part of something. She frowned, and pushed the though from her mind.
Feeling that she was underdressed and vulnerable, she pulled a large piece of metal from the wall, crafting it around her torso and back as a form of armor. She kept her arms free, except for bands around her wrists... just for good measure. When she was satisfied with her 'suit', she exited the room, strapping two new handguns to her hips and taking as much ammunition as she could carry on her person comfortably.
"Ready?" Steve asked, smiling at her choice of attire.
"Nope." Georgia answered, walking with him to meet the others. "But let's get this over with."
They met up with Natasha and the man she assumed was this Barton guy.
"Where's Stark?" she asked.
"Already in Manhattan. He figured out that Loki was using his building to open the portal and unleash the Chitauri." Steve explained.
"Okay. I'll pretend that that makes any sense." Georgia mumbled.
"You are not authorized to be here!" a young S.H.I.E.L.D agent said, trying to act important. Georgia rolled her eyes and glared at him.
"Son... just don't." Steve said, pushing past him to reach the aircraft. The foursome boarded, with Natasha flying the craft.
Georgia leaned back in her seat, acting like she was completely at ease. When in reality, she was freaking out. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea... to go and fight with the others. She knew nothing about combat, and she wasn't a hero. She was just an engineer that was getting way over her head. She became more and more anxious as they landed in the city.
It seemed all quiet... Georgia stuck by Steve as they exited the aircraft. She scanned the area for good measure.
"Well, Stark was right. There's a machine right on top of his building." Georgia said, her eyes returning to normal. As soon as she said that, a blue beam of light shot up into the air, creating what seemed to be a hole in the very sky. A portal.
Immediately, specks began to pour from the portal, including a large, serpent-like monster. Georgia stared at them in horror.
"Okay. Well..." Georgia started, at a loss for words. The aliens began moving towards their position, the three Avengers around her pulled out their weapons. She grabbed a gun from her hip uncertainly, cocking it.
"Let's go!" Cap shouted, and they moved into action. The first three were taken out by Steve's shield, and several more fell from Clint's arrows and Natasha's bullets.
Georgia froze as she heard one land behind her. She whipped around, pointing the gun at it uncertainly. She shot, hitting it in the shoulder. It cried out, it's voice a mix of anger and pain. Georgia froze again, completely in shock, as the beast shot a projectile of blue energy at her. She dodged clumsily. She shot again, barely grazing it's face.
"Okay, you know what? I don't like guns." she said angrily, and instead sent bolts of her blue electricity towards the fiend, hitting it square in the chest. It was flung backwards, dead.
"One down... ten million to go." she whispered, glancing up at the portal, which was spewing more of these things. Five more appeared in front of her, growling menacingly as they approached. Georgia glanced around, and laid her eyes on a PT Cruiser parked on the side of the road.
"I've never liked PT Cruisers..." she said to herself, her eyes beginning to glow. As she was distracted, the things had inched closer to her, and a few more had appeared. In an instant, Georgia flung the vehicle towards them, crushing three under the weight of the car and knocking the others back. They were soon taken care of, and Georgia swung the car back around, crushing them as well.
Georgia sighed in pain, the weight of the car had been worth it, but it still tired her out. She glared at the three Chitauri attacking Steve, and pumped them full of electricity.
Steve looked back at her, nodding his thanks before taking on a few more.
Georgia glanced up, seeing Stark flying through the air. "Stark. How's it looking?" she asked through the intercom, turning and taking out another alien foe.
'Swell. Just swell.' Stark said sarcastically. Georgia scowled to herself and turned back around, watching more Chitauri appear around her. She panicked, retreating a few steps backwards.
"I'm really not cut out for this." she said to herself, taking out another with electricity. She didn't know how long she'd be able to do this. The pain in her head hadn't returned yet... but if it ever did while she was fighting, well, Georgia didn't want to think about that. She noticed Thor had joined them at this point. She hadn't even have time to notice.
She heard the sound of an engine behind her, she turned, and saw Bruce Banner riding in on a motorcycle. He smiled tiredly as he addressed all of them, approaching them.
"So..." Banner started. "This all seems... horrible." Georgia nodded, giving a dry laugh. That was an understatement.
"I've seen worse." Natasha disagreed, looking at Banner.
"Sorry." Bruce said quickly.
"No..." Romanoff said, stopping his apology. "We could... use... a little worse."
"Stark, we got him." Steve said into his earpiece.
"Banner?" Stark answered.
"Just like you said." Steve responded.
"Then tell him to suit up... I'm bringing the party to you." Stark answered, and with that, he broke out of a building. The large serpentine monster following close behind.
"I... I don't see how that's a party." Natasha said, her voice dazed. Georgia's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but smile at the aburdity of this beast nearing them.
"Doctor Banner, I think now might be a good time for you to get angry." Steve said as the creature neared them. Georgia stood by Steve, her face nervous.
"That's my secret, Cap..." Bruce said, turning towards the beast. "I'm always angry." With that, he began to transform. Georgia couldn't believe her eyes, as the meek doctor transformed into the 'green rage monster' she had heard so much about.
He punched the beats square in the face, collapsing it in seconds. Georgia was impressed, but as Stark sent a missile right into the beast's underbelly, she was forced to duck and cover. Steve covered himself and Natasha with his shield, and Clint pulled her behind a car with him. She gasped slightly, but pulled herself together, circling up with the Avengers once the danger had passed.
"Call it, Cap." Tony said, waiting for the plan.
"All right, listen up! Until we can close that portal up there, what we need is containment. Barton: I want you on that roof, eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays. Stark: you've got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash. Thor: you've gotta try and bottleneck that portal, slow them down. You've got the lightning - light the bastards up!" Steve said, speaking fast. Each member nodded in turn, some speeding off to get to their job.
Steve turned to Natasha and Georgia. "Us three, we're staying on the ground, keep the fighting here." Georgia glanced at Romanoff, nodding.
"And Hulk..." Steve started, turning to the thing that was Dr. Banner. Georgia stared up at him, still unable to believe it. "Smash."
The Hulk grinned, and jumped up onto a nearby building, taking out Chitauri as he went.
Georgia glanced up uncertainly at Captain America. He gave her a reassuring smile, before the three began their onslaught. Georgia tossed her spare guns and ammo to Natasha, having no need of them. And she had to smile in disbelief as more and more Chitauri appeared.
"You wanted to be involved, Georgia Anne." she grumbled to herself, before leaping into action.
...
Suckish chapter. I know, I know.
I don't have much to say today... besides, as always, thank you for the wonderful reviews and keep them coming!
Love you all!
Jess