It's not like I'm walking alone into the valley of the shadow of deathStand beside one another 'cause it ain't over yet

I'd be willing to bet that if we don't back downYou and I will be the ones that are holding the crown in the end

When it's over we can say, "Well done"But not yet 'cause it's only begunSo, pick up and follow me we're the only onesTo fight this thing until we've won

We drive on and don't look backIt doesn't mean we can't learn from our past

Everybody with your fists raised highLet me hear your battle cry tonightStand beside or step asideWe're on the front line

We live our lives on the front lines

We're not afraid of the past times

And now I see where the threat lies!

"Is everyone clear on our plan?" I asked the small gaggle of field agents. There was my team, and four other field agents, and Thain who again convinced me to let him come alone. Three men, one woman, equipped head to toe in guns and knives, ready for all out war. "Do I need to go over it again?"

"Going over the beginning one more time would be nice." Clyde spoke up. "Not sure I understand all the science stuff Tyson just said."

I nodded, "Fine, basically what Tyson said is that Jackson hacked into Stark Tower's cameras to see what's going on. Tony's hooking up Loki's staff to every satellite on Earth. Once the energy his staff emits goes viral, anyone within ten feet of a laptop, computer, TV, cell phone tower, or smart phone is going to immediately be under his control. We're not just talking a few hundred here, we're talking pretty much every human being on Earth."

I directed the very last of my speech at my personal team, "This is where we show everyone why we were recruited into S.H.I.E.L.D., and why we're here. Loki started this, and now we're going to finish it. S.H.I.E.L.D. is not going to die today, it can't. Cause I just got here, and I'm not about to let some robe wearing, emo haired prince with daddy issues ruin it for me!"

Clyde nodded, "Let's kick his ass!"

Tama held up her axe, "I will chop this machine in half!"

Jade held up a gun, "Let's go people, we all know the plan."

Thain grabbed me before I could move to drop the ramp, his arm around my waist. "Hey."

I stared up at him as he smiled down at me, "Ve're going to vin. Ve can't lose, not today, zis battle, it's to important."

He pressed his lips to mine gently, trying to ease my nerves. I pulled away, and tightened my grip on my bow.

The floor of the plane opened up, Jackson and Tama started to take off. I grabbed onto Jackson's leg, and Clyde grabbed onto Tama's, I was worried Clyde wouldn't have the strength to keep a grip, but he seemed to hold on easily. Jackson and Tama slowly landed outside of Stark Towers, on the balcony. Through the glass, I could see Tony, Loki, Hawkeye, and Thor all standing around a machine, and Pepper is off to the side, her eyes as blue as theirs.

I didn't see Black Widow, Captain America, or Hulk, and that scares me more than anything. As we land, we fall into a lopsided triangle. We often went into dangerous situations like this, it was a battle formation, and it helped to keep everyone in position. But I was always in the front before, this time, Clyde just falls into the front, his fists balled up in rage, and I swear, his big blue eyes looked like they had the flames of Hell in them.

You know what? The kid needs this. I fell into stance to his right, about half a step behind him. Jackson does the same on his left, and Tama is hovering right behind all over of, axe at the ready.

Loki looked up with a curious glance as we entered. A small smirked creeped onto his face, "Well, I doubt that you are here to beg for mercy, so let me hear your empty threats."

Clyde's fists started to sake as rage built up inside of him, and I saw this as the chance to get Loki's guard down. "We don't make threats, we make promises."

Tama nodded, "We are defined by our honor and our word."

Jackson clicked his helmet shut, "We aren't going to let you take over Earth Loki."

Loki sneered, "Oh, and I suppose, that because you are all… the Young Avengers? Going to avenge earth should you not be able to save it?"

Clyde finally snapped, I could see that his anger had finally reach far beyond the boiling point. But instead of exploding, Clyde seemed to… get calm. But he wasn't calm, under the surface Clyde was more dangerous than a nuke. But… no, this was Clyde, he wasn't dangerous… at least he didn't used to be.

He spoke slowly, and in a way it reminded me of Loki, but underneath his calculated tone, I could sense the care and passion Loki didn't have. "We, are not the Avengers, young or old. We chose a different name. We are-"

A million possibilities raced through my mind. Arch Angles? Soul-Saviors? Personally I kind of liked Loki's name, Young Avengers. Had a ring to it.

"The Finishers."

Two seconds of silence drifted by, where all I could think was That is one God-awful name.

Jackson cleared his throat, "Uh, maybe we should go with a name like-"

My foot shot out, slamming into the side of his knee. It didn't get past the armor, but I knew it much have hurt.

"Ow! What!?" Jackson snapped.

"We're The Finishers." I said with finality.

Loki chuckled, shaking his head slowly, amused at us. His eyes met me and Clyde's, "You two, both still have a spot in my army. Brantley, you are a gifted soldier, and it would be a pity to have to kill such a talented human. You, unlike your team, have risen above the stereotypical human, much like your father. And you, Clyde, you are my son. Despite your disappointing lack of power, we are blood. Join me, and perhaps I will spare your friends."

Clyde shook his head, "You are not my father, due to the horrific acts you've committed on Earth and on Asguard, I have disowned you."

I nodded, "And you have no right to talk about my father. He was a good man, and you should pray and hope beyond hope every day that you become half of what he was."

Loki raised an eyebrow at me, ignoring his son. "Was? I believe you assumed his death hastily."

Was he implying that… my father? Alive? Maybe? Yes, yes please say he's alive! Please say I didn't kill my father. Say it… say it! SAY IT! "You… what?"

Clyde's voice broke through the fog in my mind, "Brantley, ignore him. He's just trying to get into your head. I don't know what happened with your dad, and I don't care. Because right now all you need to think about is Loki, and stopping him."

Loki just laughed.

"Right, got it." I mumbled, then tapped the side of my com. link. "Fire in the hole!"

The floor right beneath the satellite exploded. It fell through the floor. Tony and Bruce starred down after it, but I knew what they saw. It wasn't just that floor that had an explosion. The floor beneath us did too. And the one beneath that, over and over until it was in had fallen into the main lobby.

Jackson chuckled, then pulled out his big guns, "Come one dad, let's go a few rounds!"

Tony barked out a laugh, "Sorry kid, you can't take your old man yet."

Pepper's eyes flashed normal for a moment, "Jackson? Why-?"

But then they went right back to the unholy blue color.

Jackson sighed, "Sorry mom."

He shot out a blue bolt beneath her feet, and that bolt's energy leapt up, surrounding Pepper in a barrier made of pure electricity. Every time she tried to push it away it shocked her. He had put his mom out of the fight, like we planned.

Tama tightened her grip on her axe, "For Asguard!"

She leapt at her father, their weapons clashing together in the loudest way possible. Hammer meeting axe.

Clyde and me stood back to back, Loki and Hawkeye on either side of us. Clint cracked a grin, "You really gonna shoot me? Aw, come on. We both know how you value family."

I grit my teeth, "Yeah, sorry Uncle Clint."

I let my arrow fly, and he stepped to the side to avoid it. He took out his bow, loading it, and fired.

It came to fast, burying itself into my shoulder.

I took a step back, gasped, and then loaded another arrow. To late.

Another arrow hit my in the leg, then another in my collarbone.

How is he so fast!?

I used to be that fast… but never with my arrows.

I was that fast with my knives.

Okay, decision time.

Tama and Thor flew through the wall, nearly taking my head off as they continued their battle outside. Good. They were making a mess in here.

I held up a hand to Hawkeye, and he stopped, "Tired already Brant?"

I snarled, "Don't call me that!"

He snickered, "Why? Don't like your old man?"

"My old man was a saint!"

"The man you think your father was, he doesn't exist." Clint snapped back. "Also, Barney? Not your dad."

I froze, dropping my quiver and bow. "What?"

"Barney isn't your dad, that was a cover up done by S.H.I.E.L.D." He said.

S.H.I.E.L.D.? S.H.I.E.L.D. staged a cover up? The same S.H.I.E.L.D. that I put my life on the line for!? I trusted SHIELD… I trusted Nick, and Maria, and the squints. I trusted-

I trusted Clint. I trusted Clint above all of them.

Time to die bastard!

I took out my knives, and I started throwing. Clint fired his arrows, but ya know what the great thing was? He couldn't fire arrows as fast as I could throw knives. So every arrow he shot fell to the ground, sliced in half.

Tony got in a lucky shot with a repulser blast, and sent Jackson threw a wall.

Thor threw Tama to the ground, cracking the street in half.

Clint dodged one of my knives, and body tackled me. He got on top of me, hitting me over and over again.

"Get off of her!"

We both turned to look at Thain standing there, holding a gun and pointing it at Clint. He was supposed to be downstairs helping to disable the satellite!

Thain's hands shook as he held the gun.

Clint smirked, "You can't make me, you can't even hold that gun right."

Thain bit his lower lip.

I managed to mumbled out, "Thain just… get back downstairs-"

Clint raised his hand to punch me again, but something amazing happened. Thain fired the gun.

BAM!

Clint immediately rolled to the side, barely avoiding the poorly aimed bullet, and his bow was locked and loaded before I could stop him. Even if I had been faster, I don't think I could have stopped that arrow.

I had puncture wounds from arrows in my shoulder, collar, and my leg. One side of my body couldn't move without intense pain. And Clint had jacked up my face.

Doesn't stop me from replaying that moment in my head every now and then. Wish I could have stopped it. Wish I had just been able to put the pain to the back of my head. But in those stories where they say adrenaline makes the pain just vanish? Full of shit.

The arrow pierced through the air, and snapped into Thain's chest.

I had been a marksman since I was eight, so I knew what it had hit. Right above the heart muscle, severing the veins going into the cardiac muscle.

Remember what I said about how the pain is always with you? Well that's true enough, but you don't always remember it.

Next thing I know, I'm kneeling next to Thain as he bleeds out. I pulled out the arrow and pushed my hands down on his wound. "Thain, you'll be okay, you hear me!?"

He won't be okay. Nothing's getting into his heart, and nothing is getting into his veins. He's only got about five heart beats left.

Thain smiled up at me, his white teeth shining past bloodied lips.

Thump

He reached up delicately with one hand, brushing my hair away from my forehead to look into my eyes.

Thump

"У тебя красивые глаза." You have beautiful eyes my love.

I felt a sob slip past my lips.

Thump

"Thain… you know I can't speak Russian."

He just grinned, and pulled me down closer.

Thump

"Я люблю тебя." I love you. His lips brushed mine, briefly, for one last time.

Thump

"Thain…" I whispered.

Nothing.

Not a beat.

Silence.

Clint laughed, "Kid set up a damn good Hallmark moment, I'll give him that. Never liked the little bastard though. Lily livered, couldn't fight, not a good guy for you at all."

My teeth were clenched so hard, I feared they'd crack.

"But, I guess me hating any boyfriend you ever had or will have is kind of inevitable." He walked up, kneeling next to me. "Come on, enough of this fighting."

He put a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it as if trying to comfort me. "Let's just end it. Join us, and we'll-"

I was cut off by his scream as an arrow shot through his center. Barely missing internal organs and blood vessels, but it hurt like hell. He wouldn't be moving for awhile.

I stood straight as he fell to the ground, trying to pull the arrow out himself. I looked back at Thain, laying there, blood everywhere, dead.

I turned to look as Jade busted into the room, looking a bit worse for the wear, but determined. "Brantley, where's Loki?"

Thor suddenly crashed through the ceiling, face planting on the ground, and Tama flew down from the gaping hole, taking the flat side of her axe, and hitting him over the head with it as hard as she could.

He stumbled to his feet, looking around in a daze. "What… Where… Tama?"

Tama grinned ear to ear as his eyes turned back to their normal color. "Father!"

He embraced her quickly, then turned to me and Jade, "Where is-"

He cut himself off as he saw Thain's body slumped against the wall, "The boy has fallen?"

I stiffened, refusing to look behind me. I can't focus on Thain, the world is about to get enslaved.

I spoke up before anyone could ask about Thain. "Where's Loki?"

Thor met my gaze, head already back into the game, "Now that the satellite had been destroyed, he will attack for revenge."

"Where?"

"To whoever he feels did him wrong." He explained.

I turned to Tama, "You know where Clyde is?"

She nodded.

"Great." I took up Clint's bow and arrows as he glared at me.

"Don't hurt my king!" He snarled.

"You'll thank me later." I said dryly. "Tama, take me where I can get a clear shot."

Tama dropped her axe, and wrapped her hands around me, shooting up into the sky and I gripped my oversized bow until my knuckles turned white.

Tama steadied herself, and pointed a few rooftops away. There was Clyde, trying to wrestle the staff away from Loki.

Loki shoved his son to the ground, and even from where we were I could hear Loki shout, "Enough! I have had far to much patience with you, yet you are nothing but a mistake!"

Clyde glared up at him, "I feel bad for you, you'll never knew how great I am."

Tama whispered, "Brantley, take the shot."

I loaded the bow, taking aim. Perfect line of fire. But I can't shoot…

Dad grinned at me as I held the last knife on my hand, ready to throw it. I never knew it would be the last time I saw him smile.

"Brantley!" Tama hissed.

Loki raised his staff, either to enslave Clyde to stab him. I couldn't let either one happen. But I can't shoot…

When Dad found out I could throw knives, he had taken it a lot better than Mom. As she yelled at Grandpa, Dad took me outside.

He kneeled down next to me, "Brantley, I want you to understand something."

I was prepared for him to be angry at me for learning to throw knives. "Yes?"

He put his hands on my shoulders, "When your grandpa taught me to throw knives, he gave me one rule."

"Draw me not without reason, sheath me not without honor?" I asked.

He nodded, "But I made a different rule for myself. My rule is, that I will never use a knife, or any weapon, unless it's to protect my family."

"Is that why you don't throw knives anymore?" I asked.

He nodded, and grinned, "That, and a ringmaster shouldn't be in the show. But that's not the point. The point is, you should make your own rule. Follow your Grandfather's for awhile, but eventually, you need to become your own person, with your own rule, got it?"

I nodded, "Okay Daddy."

He hugged me, "That's my little girl."

I can't believe I still haven't made that rule.

Now is as good a time as any.

"Any damn time I want to!" I shouted, and let the arrow fly.

It sailed through the air, and shot right through Loki's forearm. Loki dropped to the ground, screaming, holding his arm.

Clyde jumped up, took the fallen scepter, and held it like a baseball bat.

Tama dropped me onto the roof, and I ran to Clyde's side, bow at the ready. "Brantley?"

"Yeah Clyde?"

He looked at me, then the scepter, then to Loki. "Hold this."

I took the scepter, idly wondering how to get everyone un-hypnotized. Maybe smash it?

Clyde walked towards his father, hand outstretched. "Father?"

Loki stared up at his son, not understanding where this sudden kindness had come from. "You have shunned me. Why show me sympathy."

Clyde shook his head, "It's not sympathy. It's retribution."

Loki stuck out his one good hand, and gripped Clyde's tightly. Clyde shot forward, still gripping Loki's hand in his right, but placed his left hand on Loki's forehead, "My redemption!"

Loki's skin suddenly cracked, bloody lacerations and bruises suddenly dotted it. I heard sickening snaps as every single bone in his body broke. Clyde didn't let go, not until Loki's skin started peeling away and he fell to the ground, a mess of shattered bone, ripped muscle and dying screams.

I cast a look at Tama, to see her faint, hitting the ground hard. Huh, guess the demigod was officially out of it.

I looked up at Clyde as he stepped away from the bloody carcass. "Clyde… what did you do?"

He met my gaze, "I… I gave him every injury I ever to away from anybody."

I put a hand on his shoulder, "Your father was wrong, that's the coolest gift any of us have. You take away, and you give."

Clyde smiled, small and sad. "I just, I didn't even know I could do that."

"You followed an instinct." I said, shrugging, "And good thing too, I was gonna kill him anyways."

Clyde suddenly shook, "I just… killed a man. I killed a man Brantley."

I nodded, ready for him to break into water works. "How do you feel?"

He looked down at hi hands, then up at me. "I don't feel anything."

I'll get him therapy later.

I thrust the scepter into his hands, "Do you know how to set them all free?"

Clyde nodded slowly, "Yeah, I think so. I was born to carry it, right?"

Clyde raised the scepter above his head, and it started to glow, brighter than it ever had. Tiny streams of the blue light branched out, weaving themselves through the air, splitting, combining, waving, and slithering all at once. It was beautiful.

Just as suddenly as it had started, the light show ended, and the scepter slipped form Clyde's hands as he hit the ground, exhausted.

I put my hand on my ear piece, kneeling next to Clyde and squeezing his shoulder. "Jade, can you give me an estimate of the dead?"

"Including Thain, three."

I nodded. "I'll report to Jason."

I switched channels, and mumbled, "Jason, we're finished here. We've won."

"I hear ya Brant, Cam is doing much better, and Nick Fury just came out of his coma. He'll handle things with The Council for now, but they're gonna wanna question you later. For now, I say get back to base, and get your team a good nap before you kids pass out all over the street."

I see Iron Man, now out of his trance, and Jackson, freeing Pepper from her energy prison. Thor and Captain America are tending to Clint, as he jerks in pain around his arrow wound.

Clyde crawls over to Tama, gently shaking her to try and wake her up.

No one sees me do it, but I look over a few buildings, so see a grinning face. Insanity had infected every inch of it's smile. He wordlessly holds up two fingers, and I understand perfectly.

I owe him two favors.