Chapter 24
Note: Before the rest of the gang enters the tunnel, to reduce confusion
Steve couldn't help but think that life was playing a sick joke on him. First, he almost dies by being frozen. Now, he almost dies in a burning plane. He could barely move because of the pounding headache that felt as if the Hulk was pounding his head in. Steve heard a voice commanding him to get up but it sounded far off and fuzzy. He looked up and saw a man in a running outfit grabbing Nikki Seward's body off her resting place and threw her over his shoulder.
Steve's knees shook as he tried to stand. He took a step and almost busted his head open on the jagged edge of some ripped open metal. The runner caught him.
"We can't have you dying Captain," the runner yelled over the sound of wrapping metal and the crackling of flames.
Steve leaned against the man for support and they hobbled out of the plane, just missing Stark and Not-Steve.
The runner helped Steve sit down next to a tree and laid Seward on the ground. Steve let out a cough to clear the choking smoke out of his lungs.
"Who are you?" the captain asked the runner, who was now fusing over Agent Seward.
"You wouldn't want to know," he muttered.
The runner swore in some other language as he lifted the bottom of Nikki's shirt up, revealing the bloody bullet wound. Dark, almost black, red blood oozed out of the wound.
The runner reached into his pocket and pulled out a Swiss army knife and a thermos. He looked at Steve and sighed.
"Can you hold her down? She isn't going to like this."
"Isn't she dead?" Steve asked, noticing her pale blue lips and the pale skin.
The runner's eyes turned a violent blue. "She is still alive. She isn't going to die," he growled.
Steve, slightly disturbed by this outburst, held on to Nikki's shoulders, gently pushing down. A flare of pain exploded in his head though he fought down the urge to flinch.
"Now, close your eyes, and do not open them for any reason," the runner instructed.
"What?"
The runner shot him a glare that could rival Natsha's so Steve shut his mouth. And shut his eyes tightly.
The runner muttered something. Steve heard the slosh of liquid then felt Nikki suddenly try and bolt up. Steve applied more pressure then started to feel her thrash violently. A raspy scream tore through the woman's vocal cords. Steve's hands started to tingle then burn like he was grasping a hot iron.
"Captain Rodgers, get away!" Steve heard through the screams.
Steve quickly removed his hands and found himself thrown backwards.
After a minutes, the woman stopped screaming. Steve heard someone clear their throat.
"Steve," a quiet female voice said. "You can open your eyes."
Steve hesitated then cracked his eyes open. Nikki was gone. She was replaced by a woman wearing a form of golden armor that looked old and tarnished. Her face made Steve feel like she looked like someone he knew.
The woman avoided looking at Steve but then glanced up with her silver eyes, calculating.
Maybe it was because of his headache, maybe it was because he was just in a fire, or maybe it was because Steve was losing his touch but it took him a full minute to jerk back in realization. Her face, it reminded him of Bia's and that meant…
"You're Nike," Steve said, not even attempting to hide his surprise, his mouth gaping as his brain had a mini heart attack of meeting yet another god that was supposed to not exists according to the Good Book.
The dark haired goddess gave a small smile then bit her lip and gave the runner a scared look. He gave her a reassuring smile.
"Do you really think I'll tell Zeus anything? C'mon, you saved my butt too many times."
"Like that time you forgot Athena's birthday? Or how about when you Apollo got angry when you stole his chariot?" she asked quietly with a small, devious smile.
The man laughed and Nike's form seemed to brighten. The man noticed and let out a depressed sigh.
"I can't let you do this Nike," the runner said quietly
Nike's eyes filled with sudden anger, Steve could almost feel the heat rolling off her as she got in the man's face, her body starting to radiate dim golden light.
"Just cause you are Hermes the gods be damned Olympian doesn't mean I need your help!"
"Nike I just had to revive you from fading entirely!"
"So? I am not fading anymore, Hel can't touch me!"
Steve definitely knew that Nike was Bia's sister. They both seemed to be one thing then switch to something completely different a second later.
The man, Hermes, looked at the ground. "I just don' want you to do anything rash. You are still unstable and might kill someone."
"Yeah," Nike said grimly, glancing over to the mine shaft as the rest of the Avengers went in. "Someone is definitely going to die."
Hermes frowned and watched Not-Steve enter the mine.
Steve looked up a second to late, not seeing any of his friends.
The god of travelers sighed. "At least let me take you to Hel's Palace. Then you will have more strength to end this. I don't think any of us can take anymore of Zeus and Odin's bickering."
Nike smirked. "Maybe it was good that I left."
"Ha ha," Hermes said sourly. "Let's go." Hermes offered Nike his arm.
"What about Mr. America?" Nike asked, looking at Steve. "Who will be my back up?"
Steve tried not to be like a fish but couldn't help his mouth open and close. Hermes helped Steve stand and gripped his arm firmly. Steve was grateful because his head throbbed more as he stood on unstable feet.
"Who's ready to kill a witch?" Nike asked disdainfully.
With a hiss of air, the three disappeared into Hel's Underworld at a ridiculous speed.
A/N: Someone asked about how the Avengers can see through the Mist and just saying, don't worry, all shall be answered in the next couple of chapters (except why I don't update faster, that will remain a mystery even to me).