"We could use the extra help," female Tony said slowly, sounding almost reluctant. She glanced at her husband, asking some silent question. Steve was at first surprised by her reluctance, and then suspicious. When they had first arrived, their doubles had seemed very welcoming and very willing to accommodate them, happy to have them help out in whatever way they were comfortable with. Now, however, it was becoming increasingly obvious that options were just for show. Their doubles would present them with a choice, confident that they would make the choice 3490 preferred, and then get a bit thrown when they didn't, trying to move them subtly back on the track 3490 wanted them to take. This, apparently, was one of those false choices. Steve wanted to let them know that team wanted to help out, as Avengers, which had initially been presented as an option—now it seemed less so.
"But you aren't exactly familiar with our team yet, or how we operate. We have code words you won't know, protocols you don't have, styles of fighting unfamiliar to you…why don't we get you all started with some basic training first, and then we send you out in the field?" Commander Rogers said smoothly, providing the logical explanation for his wife's hesitation. There was always a logical explanation. Steve would say he was just being paranoid if it hadn't been for his own Tony's discovery. They were clearly just very good at covering their tracks, and Steve found that disturbing.
"I agree that there will be things that we don't understand," Steve said carefully, "but I think that we could be a valuable asset despite that. Obviously our team has our own way of communicating as well—really for two points of communication only you and I have to understand each other."
"It's more efficient if everyone understands each other," Commander Rogers disagreed politely. "I can't think of any reason why a little training wouldn't be welcome for all of us." Steve had to bite his tongue to keep from disagreeing. His double was sneaky. Steve wasn't sneaky. He'd never been sneaky. He didn't know how to be sneaky—he supposed that all that time among spies had changed him.
"You set a date and we'll be there," Steve said. "The sooner the better for all of us." Commander Rogers smiled, and it took all of Steve's strength to smile back and not punch the other man in the face.
"Of course," Commander Rogers said. "We'll let you know." Steve took that as the dismissal it was and left the hallway where they had been speaking. He strode out into the living room where the team was waiting.
"Well?" Tony asked as soon as he arrived, but he seemed to be the only one who needed to ask—everyone else had taken in Steve's expression.
"They want us to do some training before we help out," Steve said. There was only so much he could say in their household, but the team seemed to get the message: I didn't have a choice. Tony frowned. He looked pissed.
"We're Avengers. What goddamn training could we possibly need?" he snapped. Steve was going to calm him down as best he could, but his speech was interrupted by a light giggle. Steve looked over to see Kate, sitting quietly in one of the armchairs—Steve hadn't even noticed she was there. She held a tablet in her hand. She looked up at them, her blue eyes full of mirth.
"You're kidding me, right?" she asked. "Because I've been training since birth. I think if I need sixteen years of training even esteemed individuals such as yourselves would need a basic evaluation before they throw you into the field. I mean, you didn't even know there were other universes before you stepped in here by accident—what else don't you know?"
Steve didn't have a good answer to that. Apparently neither did any of the rest of them. Kate raised an eyebrow.
"How many species of alien can you name? Their weak points, strong points, whether or not they're typically friendlies?" she asked. Again, their group was silent. Steve only knew of the Chitauri and the Asgardians. Steve knew that Thor knew many more, but he wondered—did he know them all? Would they encounter different aliens in this universe, and more of them? Kate just rolled her eyes. "Training's about more than 'can you do a kick flip'. A lot of what we learn is history and tactics. And you don't know a thing about this world. You might accidentally blow it up by destroying the wrong evil robot." She stood up, arching one perfect eyebrow. "Trust me, none of you are field ready even if you've been avengering out in your own world." Steve had no words with which to argue the young girl as she stared at him with that challenging expression. She was a force to be reckoned with. Steve was still trying to formulate some sort of response when an alarm sounded.
It was strange, hearing the loud, high-pitched alarm going off. For all the emergencies Steve had sat through in this universe, he'd never heard an alarm. Apparently this one warranted it. Kate's face had turned white. The news popped up on the television, and they could see the bright colored lettering of LIVE across the screen. Steve's own heart nearly stopped—there in the heart of Manhattan were the Chitauri, wreaking havoc unchecked. Steve ran to the hallway—3490 Tony and Steve were already running out the door.
"Let us help you!" Steve shouted after them.
"There's no time! Just stay out of this! Stay here." 3490 Tony commanded.
"But we know them! We've fought the Chitauri—" Steve insisted.
"We don't have time for this!" Tony snapped as the armor overtook her. The faceplate locked over her just as she finished speaking. Her husband hopped onto some handholds on the back of the suit, and before Steve could voice another objection, they were in the air and gone. Steve ran back inside.
"What's the situation?" Clint asked as Steve reached the team.
"They've told us to stay behind," Steve said grimly. "But I think in this scenario a little disobedience is necessary. Suit up—we've got to help them." Steve turned to Tony. "How about you Stark? Any way you know of getting your hands on one of those suits?" Tony grimaced.
"No. Her security is air tight—"
"No it's not," Kate interjected. Both men turned to stare at her. She shrugged. "I'd rather this get taken care of before the mansion gets blown up. Again. I can get you a shield and you a suit. I'll help you out, but you've got to promise me something first."
"What do you want?" Tony asked. Kate just pursed her lips.
"Just don't tell them how you got the suit," she said. "Because if you do I'm dead times a septillion and I'm already in hot water."
"Deal," Tony agreed.
"God, I really hope you're not evil," Kate said wearily. "Follow me."
