ENDGAME SPOILERS!
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Disclaimer: I own nothing! If I did, Tony would be yelling at me.
Summary: The scales are unbalanced, they have been for a very long time. And someone is getting pissed off that this keeps happening. So she decides to set things right. Very unconventionally...the Universe is not ready for this...no one is. Undying is a worse fate than torture, making you long for the sweet pain of death.
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I'm sorry...I'm horrible at updating...
Chapter Fourteen
Xxx
Queens
July 8th, 2023
8:46pm
Xxx
"Okay Karen, one last scan of the network and let's call it a night."
:Will do Peter.:
Sighing softly, Peter leaned further against the rooftop railing, eyes darting over the city streets while Karen's HUD display rolled through traffic cams, security footage, and police scanners. It had been a mild patrol night, people were a bit more aware of Spiderman now that the horrid Snap had been reversed and the universe's heroes had fixed the world. Small time muggings and disputes were easily settled by a simple appearance, larger crimes were less likely to get violent. Especially once word had spread shortly after Peter had started patrolling again, that Spiderman had backup in the form of the Avengers.
Nothing exceptionally large scale had popped up, yet, but Peter remained vigilant, even if only as a reminder that heroes were still out there. Even if Ironman wasn't.
It ached, a steady hole in his heart, and being right in New York City wasn't the best coping method.
:All Clear, shall I calculate a route back to the apartment building?:
"No, that's okay. Send a 'green light' to Happy's phone. He can pass it on to the compound."
:Would you like me to call Happy Hogan?:
"Nah…" Peter pushed himself upright, backing up a couple paces before sprinting for the roof edge and throwing himself over the rail, casting a web line to the opposite building, "He's got other stuff to worry about."
:Would you like me to place a call to the Avengers Compound?:
That made him pause, mentally. Physically, Peter was launching another web line to carry himself down the block towards the taller building that made a great corner to swing up the street his apartment building was on.
"No, they're busy too."
:Okay.:
Six blocks from the building, the echoes of something heavy landing on a dumpster turned Peter's focus from the main street to a side alley. Guessing it was a fight, or worse a car accident, Peter had Karen secure a signal to the nearest dispatch just in case. Initial scans revealed nothing, no bodies, and no cars, so that was a relief.
Relaxing a touch, Peter tried to separate his emotions from the sense of foreboding that was starting to push past his usual spider sense. The dumpster was crumpled in, sort of folded in half unevenly where something had made impact. There was a dusting of something ash-like coating the dumpster, and foot prints that lead further into the alley once Peter was low enough in height to see them properly.
"Hello? Anyone hurt?"
Something scuffled in the shadows of the buildings, Karen's scanners not distinguishing the movement just yet.
"Hey…You okay?"
:Peter-:
Tiny sparks started flashing out from behind a stack of old car tires and junk boxes, and Peter was really hoping he didn't need to call the fire department tonight. Not only was the alley full of flammable objects that would go up in a dangerous flash, but if anything involved more than basic police work for arrests, Peter had to go to the compound and debrief.
:Peter, I do not believe this is within the parameters set for your restrictions-:
"WHOA!"
Flipping backwards to stick to the fire escape on the opposite building, Peter narrowly missed a sparking lash of a whip, controlled by a woman dressed similarly to how Dr. Strange had been. Maroon tunic, leather boots, and flashing hands that snapped a whip of…magic? Energy? Whatever…the woman glared at Peter with haunted looking eyes, smudges of ash staining her skin around the blood trails that oozed from her hairline.
"Hey! I'm on your side!"
She didn't seem to care, coiling her arm back to strike again.
Peter jumped up higher, snagging a railing and swinging up a couple more levels to avoid the whip. The strike landed on the bottom ladder rungs, catching the metal and holding for only a few seconds before searing through the coated steel like it was a plasma cutter.
"Oh shit…"
:Language.:
Ignoring Karen's jibe, Peter went over the scans being relayed in front of him, trying to understand the information around avoiding the snaps of the sparking whip. The magician jumped up, climbing the outer railing in chase of the red and blue clad teen working his way towards the roof.
Partly to get away from the unspeaking attacker, but also to get her insanity away from street level. She pursued, dodging the webs shot at her hands to restrain the magic, lashing back with startling efficiency.
"This is…not good!" Peter ducked a wild crack, webbing an empty crate on the roof and whipping it at the woman to block another hit, "Lady what's your problem!"
:Shall I call for assistance?:
"I don't have Dr. Strange's number!" He snapped, somersaulting behind the rooftop door hut, narrowly missing the end of a whip. Instead of catching his torso, the whip cracked against a skylight, searing so hot it melted part of the glass it caught on, "Karen-where's she from? Does she not understand English?"
:Her ethnicity appears to be standard American Caucasian, and that is a very presumptuous thought Peter, language discrimination based on-:
"That's not what I meant!" Another rapid somersault, this one right up to the roof edge and launching him over to another building top to minimize the damage to one location. "Lady calm down!"
She ignored him, stepping right to the edge and jumping across the gap as if it was a simple stretch.
It was more like twenty feet wide.
"Uh oh…" Peter stepped backwards, watching the woman cast aside her whip, the energy dissipating with a roll of her wrist, before she spun her hands to pull up a pair of crackling whips that began to spin and hit the roof with plasma levels of heat.
"I gotta get her away from infrastructure."
:The docks are approximately-:
"Too far!"
Peter spun around, sprinting for the end of the roof and firing a web at the farthest building he could safely attach to and still have room to swing on the downward side of the arc close to the street. Once in the air, he worked on calming the panic, twisting halfway through the upswing to disengage and land on a different building with a slight stumble when he stuck to the side.
The crazy magician wasn't too far behind, running the roof tops across the street until parallel with him, staring for just a moment before her arms went up and one spun in a familiar motion. A portal flared to life just feet from Peter.
In midair.
"What the-"
On the other side of the portal, the woman stared at him, the haunted look still draining anything other than malice from her eyes as they seemed to lock on Peter's even through the mask.
Not feeling confident enough in sticking to the side of a building eight stories up while a psycho person was after him, Peter waited until she started running to just drop, firing a web at a street lamp to control the fall.
Landing nimbly on the street, Peter jerked his gaze up, seeing the woman charge out of the hanging portal and hit the building, uncaring that she dented some of the brick work in her force, before rebounding off the wall to hop along window ledges and AC units to make it down to street level.
Another web shot out at her, snagging a foot for barely a step before the woman paused just long enough to yank at the chemical binding.
"That's…" Peter gaped, "That's not good."
Ducking around a parked car, Peter started down the street, shouting for pedestrians and cars alike to get out of the way as the woman stepped onto the asphalt and stalked after him. A few well-placed webs to bungee snap obstacles out of not only his own way if he didn't just vault over them, but also the crazy lady's path…trying to minimize damage.
"This is so not good…uhh…Karen! Taser webs!"
:Charging…Ready!:
Peter launched into the air, spinning in his flip to fire the rounds mid twist. One shot missed, knocked aside by a flashing whip, the other impacted on the woman's shoulder and the shocks of electricity arced down her frame with enough power it did at least make her pause.
"Well, that should slow her-"
:Peter look out!:
"Whoa!"
Diving out of the way of the whip crack, Peter pinwheel spun his arms, falling back through the portal suddenly in place of the car roof he'd intended on landing on.
Instead of rationally finding another location to send them both, the woman jumped after the red and blue decked teen, both of them careening in a chaotic freefall several hundred feet above the rooftops.
:Peter, I recommend calling the compound for assistance-:
"Karen deploy parachute you idiot!"
A crack of energy snapped against Peter's back as he tried to twist to control his fall, the sting of the whip was muffled by the suit, but it didn't stop the warning displays to scrolls across his vision before Peter snapped at Karen to clear his goggles.
:Parachute malfunction-:
"I can tell!"
Shooting a web at the nearest building, Peter grunted as he braced himself against the force of such a swing, nearly skimming the glass of the windows across the street from the building he was attached to. Crazy lady just dove straight to the ground, landing in a crouch with enough crater damage to break up almost a block's worth of asphalt with the shockwaves of gravity and magic.
Heaving for air, Peter clung to another fire escape, this time upside down, as he stared at the woman also taking a few seconds to reorient herself like the teen was, "Okay…gotta get her out-"
That time he didn't duck fast enough, his head aching from the rapid gravity changes and the senses screaming at him with the irregularity of the magic energies. Down he fell, jerking in midair just at the right moment to feel the snap of another whip crackling against his shoulder and forcing numbness down his arm.
His own collision with the street wasn't as rough as the woman's impact, but it did hurt nonetheless.
Sprinting out of the alley, Peter narrowly missed a fleeing pedestrian, dashing into the street for more space.
The screech of tires was much louder than the whirls of magic echoing out from the alley.
"Shit!"
:Language-:
"Parker?!"
"Anderson!"
"Kunta!"
Peter gaped behind his mask, staring at the woman half leaning out the driver side window of the STRK3 Saleen S7. The SI Avengers liaison was partial to the mustang, and had even given Peter a ride home if Happy was busy or out of town with Pepper. While he only really knew her as back up to the Head of Security, Peter knew enough to not question the woman when her swearing only increased in the foreign tongue, heavy accented English demanding Parker get in the car.
"What the hell kid?!"
"What are you doing here?!"
Kat threw the mustang in reverse, squealing tires sent rubber smoke into the air and making Peter's nose burn. He yanked his mask off, having enough of Karen's warnings as a whip collided against his closed door.
"Was trying to drop off web canisters!" She snapped, swerving around oncoming traffic and gunning the car forward, "You weren't at your apartment building so I headed back to the Tower and almost hit you!"
"I never made it home." Peter jerked around in the seat, cringing when the whip cracked against the car again as the woman pursued them, "Crazy lady here appeared and started attacking me. Looks like the stuff Dr. Strange does, but she isn't listening to me."
"Has she said anything?"
"Nothing! Just keeps snapping those whips, and threw me through a portal like eighty stories up in the air-"
"She-Damned by all the gods!"
Peter clung to the leather seat as Kat skidded around a corner and right into a portal thrown up in the car's path. This street wasn't lit like NYC's late evening streets. These were early morning streets, when bars were closed and no one was about.
"Where the-"
"Location FRIDAY"
"London, England, local time is currently 2:34am-"
"She behind us?"
Spinning to face backwards, Peter answered Kat by rolling down his window, firing another taser web at their assailant, "She just won't stop! Creepy looking with a grey face and covered in-"
"Ashes-"
He nodded in confusion, seeing the lines tighten on Kat's face as she whipped the car around to face the woman.
"She's not alive."
"Uhh…" Peter fully sat back in the car, both of them staring at the sorcerer in a weird as hell stand-off in the middle of London, "She's what?!"
"How well can you drive?"
"How well-whoa!"
For someone who hadn't really shown off her skills, Kat was incredibly smooth as she waved a hand to slip their positions in the vehicle. Much like Dr. Strange had done to Peter a couple times on Titan.
"What am I supposed to do with this?" Peter snapped, staring at the steering wheel while Kat was bracing herself on the windowsill of the passenger door and readying something in her far hand.
"Drive!"
Peter slammed his foot down, gripping the wheel tight as the Saleen jerked forward.
"Not that way!" Kat flicked her wrist, swearing loudly when the fireball she had been preparing careened wildly out of aim.
"You're not helping here!"
"Parker!"
Crazy lady brought back her whips, the rapid spinning creating a pair of crackling disks at her sides with the intensity and speed. Peter didn't know what to do, Kat's next fireball overshot the woman's head, the third was snapped away by a whip. All the while the car was speeding dead center at the creepy woman.
"Left!"
Yanking on the wheel, Peter couldn't breathe, not when even with his strength behind it, the wheel wouldn't budge. Not when a whip flashed out and melted into the car's hood, pulling it closer.
"Shit-" Throwing the mustang into reverse, Peter habitually glanced behind him, the emptiness of the night time street was supposed to be encouraging, except even with the gas pedal to the floorboards, the car still crept forward.
"Kat do something!"
"I'm trying!" She did sound strained, even if Peter couldn't see her at the angle she was hanging out the window, "What the-"
"Kat!"
Peter did admittedly scream when the car dropped out beneath them, the portal only jerking them a few blocks over, and the fall was barely a couple feet. Enough to rock the shocks, but no serious damage.
This portal was safer, the one in charge stood in front of the Saleen's hood and looked more than a little pissed.
She was dressed like a sorcerer of Strange's order, the heavy tunic in a deep, blood red, but her waist cinch was almost black it was so dark, the pendant on her neck matching the huge glass window of the building she stood in front of and had moved the car to.
"Is that-"
"The London Sanctum." Kat climbed from the window as soon as the portal above the car fizzled out and cut off the crazy lady, "Not sure if I should say thank you, or plead innocence for disturbing your sanctum."
Stepping out from the mustang as well, Peter stared as Kat flicked her wrists as if tossing something aside, proving she was sort of unarmed while the other sorcerer stared at them.
"Creepy bitch with either of you?"
Peter shook his head rapidly, "No ma'am!"
Grinning, the brunette sorcerer waved off their unease, her accent vaguely midwestern American, "Pretty sure a pair of New Yorkers appearing in London way after midnight have no intent on attacking the sanctum…figured you could use a hand with that grab spell on your car. What's up with that bitch anyway?"
Peter grinned back, the woman's demeanor was soothing, snarky and firm as she openly lead them towards the sanctum's doors, "She went after me first, Kat showed up by chance and then we got portaled here. Kat says she's dead, and she won't listen to anything I said so-"
"Wait," Spinning on them, the sorcerer paused at the top of the steps, "Dead? That kinda magic does take a living magic caster kid-"
"Yeah but-"
Kat cut them both off, shoving Peter at the sorcerer while she flared an arm up with a sheet of shimmering silver following the motion to shield them from a barrage of glass-like daggers.
"Oh hell no, stand back kid-"
Stepping around the fading shield, the sorcerer snapped her fists out, the molten gold disks flashing brightly in the dark night.
Creepy lady stalked closer, her features dim with the shadows until she was just behind the car exposed in a streetlamp.
"Iwyn…"
"You know her?"
"She-" Stuttering, the sorcerer ducked to avoid a whip crack, flaring her own shield up to gain time to stare in shock, "She trained with me, she died fighting Thanos a couple months ago. That's not possible!"
Kat growled, firing off another ball of liquid flames, "You'd be surprised what's been happening lately, she's not the only one whose shown up."
"Suggestions?"
"Fire worked the other times, not so much with this kunta."
Snorting, the sorcerer cracked her own whip, the snap forcing Iwyn back a few paces, deeper into shadows, "She's blocking it, deflecting flames, let's see how she handles this!"
Before Peter could even breathe, the sorcerer threw a couple glass daggers out with one hand, the other snapping down and sending smoke into the air.
The horribly familiar sounds of flesh being parted by sharp blades sent Peter reeling, the sound grating to his sensitive ears while the sorcerer turned to knock harshly on the sanctum's doors. It was answered quickly.
"What the bloody hell are you doing waking me up this early?!" William shouted, Peter recognized him from the battle's aftermath, the English sorcerer had helped with battle triage and injuries immediately following all the chaos, "Avaris! What is going on-"
Peter yelped when a glass dagger flew through the smoke, missing William's neck by a scant inch before embedding in the sanctum door for half a second. The magic of the building itself disintegrated the weapon shortly after.
The woman sorcerer, Avaris, growled instead of replying, shoving a palm forward to blow the smoke outwards and coat Iwyn with it to catch her shape better in the dim light, especially once Kat augmented the spell and lit the smoke on fire with hissing sparks.
"Eat that, bitch!"
It didn't work, the smoke dissipated over a larger area and Iwyn still stood there, shrugging off the sparks trying to smolder on her shoulders.
"That cannot be-"
"Ya think?" Avaris snapped, "I know! Lock down the sanctum, and let the others know. She still has portal knowledge!"
William slammed the doors shut again, a ripple of energy pouring over the building as he did so. Ignoring the cut off to safety, Avaris backed up to shield Peter better while Kat dove forward to attack Iwyn in closer range.
"You okay kid?"
"Yeah," Peter webbed a nearby trashcan, yanking it over to block another whip. They both ducked when the energy seared through the metal, hissing loudly with heat.
"Got any ideas?"
"I mean…tasers sort of made her pause. At least earlier-"
Avaris shrugged, "Close enough for me, hey you! Duck!"
At least experience was on her side, Kat instinctively dropped at the command, probably from working with Stark Industries and the Avengers for so long to know when to get out of the way. Avaris held her open hands apart for half a second, cupping a tiny white spark that grew as the hands were pulled wider to send shocks of controlled lightning jumping between the sorcerer's fingers. With a sharp cry, Avaris shot the bolt at the glaring Iwyn, the blinding hot energy cutting off the next round of whips.
This time…the crazy-supposed to be dead-sorcerer took the hit, seizing with the electricity and falling to her knees.
"We need to get her away from the sanctum." Avaris started forward, not waiting for Peter to respond when with a wave of her hand she restarted the Saleen's engine.
"What?"
"Too many people, too much power in the heart of London is going to kill someone. Gotta get her out of here."
"Take us to New York-"
Peter gaped at Kat, the liaison climbing onto the tail of the car to brace on the spoiler while Parker was shoved into the driver's seat again. Avaris took shotgun, hands already up to spin open a portal.
"New York, are you crazy? There's more people-"
"Outside of the city, Parker!" Kat snapped, turning to Avaris with a growl, "Can you drop us upstate? Away from high density population?"
"Got it, she following?"
"Not yet."
Peter took that as the signal to rev the engine, staring at the slowly glittering ring on the other side of the windshield, Avaris didn't say a word until Kat swore again, collapsing back onto the window glass with a snarl before the roar of a fireball was unleashed.
"Now she's pissed!"
"Floor it kid!"
Peter's foot slammed down on the gas, the car lurching forward as it caught on resistance behind it. A quick glance in the rearview showed Kat holding her own pair of sparking whips, binding the crazy sorceress behind them and literally dragging her through the portal to the empty gravel road.
"Shit! Why won't she go down?!"
Something Iwyn did behind the car yanked it to a stop, and before Peter could blow the transmission, he slammed the vehicle into reverse to counter the pull, Iwyn either wasn't prepared for it, or wasn't capable of that level of functioning, the rubber band effect of the multiple spells whipped her into the rear bumper to collapse at Kat's feet.
Grumbling under her breath with enough swear words to make Peter blush, Avaris kicked open her door and joined Anderson at the rear of the car. Peter hesitated only long enough to turn the mustang off, not willing to risk anything with fire or sparks as Kat lit up the night time air with more crackles of lightning,
Almost as impressive as Thor, but nowhere near as intense in the voltage rating. Parker had tested it…before.
"Try this on for size." Avaris twisted lines of shimmering gold into an arm length cage, flicking it out like one would a blanket so the spell draped over the twitching body on the ground. While the magic let the body inside the hollow, it flowed and bent with the erratic movements to keep Iwyn contained.
"Reflector containment," Kat nodded with a tired smirk, "Impressive."
"Backlash is a bitch," Avaris nudged the ash covered woman with a toe, "Can't say it'll last, but I'll trust it long enough to get away from public eye, how far is the Avengers compound from here again?"
"About…" Kat glanced around, eyes narrowed at Parker for confirmation, "An hour would you say? We're Northwest out on the access road I think."
"Yeah, me too." Peter let out a gust of air, shaking his limbs loose to hide the faint tremble he'd picked up somewhere back in New York City, "What do we do with her?"
Kat's wrist flicked, popping open the Saleen's trunk, "Haul her out, the trunk is reinforced with carbon fiber and titanium struts, undetectable interior to most scanners and radars too; it's how I've moved Avengers gear through the city by myself without getting hijacked."
"Let's go then, I don't wanna take crazy here back into any city, Sanctum or not." Avaris grabbed part of the shimmering net encasing the now only slightly struggling body, Peter grabbing the other end as well.
Xxx
Xx
Xxx
11:48pm
Xxx
Loki did hesitate for a full minute before opening the exterior door, slipping outside into the quiet night and bracing the glass door to shut it.
Dr. Stephen Strange didn't turn to acknowledge his presence, remaining in his slightly casual sprawl on one of the benches outside the main building Loki had been confined to. This side faced the outer gate, freshly set gravel paths marking the roadways to different areas that had yet to be repaved after the complete destruction of the compound a couple months ago. While the area had boasted several buildings and extensive groundwork, only one building was completely rebuilt with several others in various stages of progression. And all concrete parking lots, tarmacs, and roads were still in the gravel preparation stage.
It might take the compound months or even over a year to fully recover, but Loki had to hand it to Stark's ingenuity for ensuring the residential and immediate necessities were available as soon as possible. Even if the others argued over the speed of the areas not yet back into full use.
As for Thor's adopted brother, Loki was just content to be allowed to move around more freely. Stark's AI was almost guaranteed to be monitoring his movements and likely relaying them as necessary. That didn't stop Loki from enjoying the fresh air.
"I'm surprised you are still here."
If the Sorcerer Supreme was surprised by Loki's words as much as the demigod was in the first place, he didn't show it. Shrugging off the statement, Strange didn't turn when Loki eased down at the other end of the bench. "Not much to go to when I leave, though not much keeping me here in comparison."
"If I understand this correctly, the hierarchy within your order does place you at the top, one would think there would be those of lower status who would necessitate your involvement."
Again, the doctor shrugged, "I ended up with this position by the premature death of my teacher, I was one of the lower ranked students in the upper classes at the time and while I have since 'graduated' for lack of a better term, there are those who do not agree with my promotion. Even after Thanos and word got around just what my part in that was."
"No one respects greatness when they see it unless it suits them, and gods be damned if it involves a personal sacrifice."
Strange quirked an eyebrow, "Speaking from personal experience?"
Loki brushed off the question with a seriousness Strange wasn't expecting, "I find it easier to ignore what others think of my actions, waiting for their approval is a rather lengthy waste of time. If one is truly in support of me…then they'll show it. Otherwise, trying to impress others when their way of thinking does not mesh with mine only causes strife."
"Lady Sif."
Chuckling a bit, Loki nodded, "She is one of the most obvious. But there was a time even Brilid disagreed with my methods and actions, she made it clear that my inexperience would be my downfall and ultimately result in harsher outcomes than I was intending. And while I proved her wrong, it did separate me from the few peers I had in taking lessons with her. I went from the student everyone fought to study with, or perhaps try a hand at the sparring spells we were learning…to the outcast in lessons and predominantly learning alone for the rest of my education under Brilid's tutelage."
"It doesn't make it easier though," Strange shifted, his gaze drifting back out to the open field between the building and the gate, "I threw myself so deep into my studies, advancing past others who had been learning for months or even years longer than myself, at a rate few came close to matching, that I didn't even attempt to put effort into learning much of anything past what I could understand in the books or practices. On the rare moments I would pull myself past the writings and look around me, I'd see lower initiates and varying levels of novices practicing or reading together, and while I could have joined them…perhaps I should have…I remained in solitude when I'd see how lesser their skills were. Arrogance…a powerful deterrent."
"More like a powerful shield," Loki interjected, "If they can't see that you are hurting, they can't do a damn thing to you."
"Or for you." Strange finished, allowing a faint grin to grace his face when he flicked his eyes at Loki, "Silver-tongue indeed."
The snort Loki let out almost choked him, the sarcastic tint to his smirk turning his face into something more befitting his reputation, "I speak from experience, second-rate, breaking the rules may be how one gets ahead of all the rest, but at least there's a security within the restrictions others follow. If others of your order cannot at least respect you, for what you have done and can continue to offer within your capabilities, then it does not matter what title you hold, as the position only garners so much when the mantle is held by someone others do not care for. Even outcasts find unity in others."
"Like the Avengers."
Loki almost didn't hear the admittance, a low hum distracting his thoughts briefly as it approached, "Perhaps, they at least appear to be attempting to understand, though I will admit my own mistake in that they do not accept magic as easily as they could, had my reputation and actions not preceded your own. From what I understand, Ms. Anderson has not flaunted much of anything she is capable of, except to a selected few. Humans and Asgardians are rather inept in accepting vast differences."
"No we are not, rather-" Strange cut himself off as the low hum built into the roar of a high powered engine, sharp headlights piercing the darkness and into both Loki's and Strange's eyes as it rushed through the gate and almost spun out to follow the gravel path.
With a smooth roll of his shoulders, Strange's business attire melded into his dark blue tunic, a pair of glowing disks snapping into place at his fists when the back of the speeding car lit up with sparks that were not mechanical in nature.
Somehow managing to maintain control of the roaring vehicle, the driver slowed to a stop next to Strange, who had stepped across the road to be in line with the driver. Loki had to stifle a laugh at Kat braced on the back window of the car, feet tucked against the spoiler as she appeared to be sitting on the trunk to keep it shut.
Both the passenger and driver side windows slid down, the occupants glancing at Strange with mixed reactions.
"Hi Dr. Strange sir."
An eyebrow lifted in confusion, and Strange glanced at the Kat with a scowl before focusing on the teenager in the driver's seat, "Mr. Parker, what are you doing?"
"Um…so there's a body in the trunk."
"There's a what now?"
The car's passenger leaned over, turning just right so Loki could see the back of her maroon tunics in a similar style to Strange's, "Did you know there's these zombie things popping up all over the globe? This one in NYC before shooting a portal to the London Sanctum. Figured I should get this kid back to the right side of the Atlantic instead of just keeping him."
While the woman turned to exit the car, Strange sighed heavily and motioned for the teenager to do the same, looking back at Kat as she grunted when the entire vehicle shook, "Ms. Anderson, are you going to get down?"
"Yeah, of course."
"You can't move, can you?"
"Nope."
Smirking, Loki moved before anyone else could, offering his arm without pause and ending up having to completely lift the woman off the trunk area as she started shaking in strain.
"What did you do?"
"Wasn't me…" Kat panted, leaning against Loki's chest while he steadied her on wobbly legs, "Found this crazy sorcerer chasing the kid in NYC, was trying to get them both out of the city and we ended up in London. Avaris here got us back and we were restraining the bitch, think she shook loose in transit."
"So you sat on the trunk?"
"Oh I was there to begin with."
Rolling his eyes, Loki let Kat pull away once sure of herself, turning in time to see Barton and Rogers joining the sudden arrival with mixed looks of concern and wariness.
"Parker! What's going on?"
"It's…look I have no idea Captain Rogers, there was this lady, and she started trying to hit me with these whip things like Dr. Strange does, but she wouldn't listen to me so I tried to lead her away from people right-and then Kat almost ran me over-"
"She what?!"
"Hey! I stopped in time!"
"Yeah! Totally! And then the car fell through this portal okay-and then Avaris here sent us through another portal, but crazy lady kept chasing us-and then Avaris knew her but said she was supposed to be dead and-"
"Parker!"
Loki wasn't entirely sure how it happened that he was the closest to grab the rambling teenager when the trunk exploded. Instinctively, he spun to put his back between the chaos and the kid who had ducked as well. The clinks of hot metal pieces impacting a shield were not nearly as loud as the crackles of a hasty spell Avaris had thrown up to protect those not under Strange's own shield. Loki glanced over his shoulder in time to see Rogers wrestling with the manic woman who must have escaped the trunk, Kat was trying to put out the fires emanating from the vehicle before more of it ignited, while Strange was fighting to incapacitate the ash-covered body.
"Fuck this, Cap! Roll!"
Without further prompting, Rogers bucked to one side, dragging the woman over so she was technically pinning him down, giving Barton the clearance to shoot an arrow through her ribs. It was enough of a distraction to get her pulled off the captain, and without waiting for any further ideas, another arrow pierced the woman's throat at her collarbone to pin her to the back of the car.
"Gross…"
Loki had to agree, but he didn't step away from the teenager until Rogers was on his feet and watching the God of Mischief carefully.
"You two alright?"
"Ye-yeah…" Parker was shaking, but it was more anxiety than injury, glancing at Loki with the rare expression of someone who had no idea who the God of Mischief was, "Thanks."
Nodding slightly, Loki dared a look to Kat who was visibly swaying even as Strange kept a hand on her bicep to prevent her collapse.
"I don't think she hit you that hard."
A slight shake of the woman's head was enough to convince Loki to offer his own arm, mostly out of necessity as without magic or weapons, the others were better suited to handle the still twitching zombie. Kat almost slumped against Loki, not quite letting him take her full weight, but enough that she was not stable.
"Ms. Anderson, are you capable of walking?"
"Sure!
"With or without assistance?"
Kat scowled, not bothering to reply as Strange nodded to Loki to give him permission to go first with Kat, the doctor joining Avaris in magically restraining the zombie woman.
"Mr. Parker, I suggest you follow Loki and Ms. Anderson and report to the infirmary. I'll ensure someone comes down to debrief you once Iwyn is fully incapacitated."
"C-cool…hey could someone like call my aunt and let her know I'm not missing or anything," The teen was full blown rambling, even as Kat lunged a hand out to drag him along with Loki just about dragging her first through the side door of the compound, "I mean I was supposed to be home like four hours ago and she's probably freaking out-"
"I gotcha kid, just go inside and see Dr. Cho." Barton's reassurance was the last of the voices the awkward trio heard before the doors shut on the crackles of magic whips encircling the zombie.
With that, Loki shifted Kat for better balance, falling in to step with Parker when he spun to assist.
"So…you're Loki? Like the Loki? Attacked New York and everything?" The rambling wasn't quite back yet, but there was enough of the youth's worry in his tone that sent Loki's face into a grimace.
"If I say 'yes', do not drop Ms. Anderson."
"Hey!" Kat met Loki's gaze, "I can walk!"
Another scowl, this one from Loki as he abruptly halted and let momentum literally drag the woman to the ground.
Her impact would have been more impressive had Parker not steadied her to her knees instead of face planting.
"My apologies my lady, you are in the peak of health."
The low chuckle was still stronger than the wince as Loki helped Kat stand again, continuing towards the infirmary with a more sedate pace.
"I'm not entirely sure yet as to why Thor calls you such a friend, it appears to me that you have a rather strong propensity for causing yourself great harm."
"Oh, can it Shakespeare."
"Ms. Anderson!"
Loki stepped back when Dr. Cho's tech lunged forward at their entrance, immediately swinging Kat up onto a ready gurney. Parker was pointed towards another and told to wait to be cleared, and thrown a sandwich in the mean time. Wisely standing off to the side, Loki watched as the doctor and the technician hooked Katherine up to an IV line, neither caring that she swore in a language not from Earth at the sting of the needle.
Feeling the weight of another set of eyes, Loki's flicked to the teenager, brow raising in query when he didn't look away.
"Why'd you do it?"
"You are going to have to be more specific." Loki replied with a shrug, not fully focusing on the conversation when Kat sagged onto her gurney in exhaustion. This one purely magical.
"New York."
That got his attention, and Loki tried not to let the grimace take over his face, "I…was not in complete control over myself."
"Thanos?"
A slow nod seemed to satisfy the teen, at least if the responding shudder was to judge. Flexing the hand still wrapped in gauze, Loki watched as Parker fussed with the collar edge of the body formed suit he was wearing.
"Were…were any of your family within the battle zone?" The edge of regret within his tone was enough for Parker to look up again, shaking his head with a stern seriousness.
"No, we weren't even on the island that day. Once the news verified it was an actual attack, my uncle barricaded my aunt and I in the hotel bathroom. We stayed there for over twelve hours, until the manager went door to door and checked on everyone with a cop there waiting. School was closed for a few days, but my borough basically went back to normal by two weeks after…besides more blood drives and food fundraisers."
"Your parents?"
Parker shrugged off Loki's question, "Nah, they died in a plan crash when I was really little. Few years before New York."
"I…" Loki hesitated, clearing his throat softly in an attempt to cover up his uneasiness, "My condolences."
A mutual nod, and Parker's own voice held a level of regret that could only be shared by similar situations, "Same to you, sorry about your parents, and your people, and your planet…I think you might have it worse…"
Before Loki could respond, Kat snorted loudly, twisting on her bed to face the pair, "Parker…stop before you start rambling again."
Smirking sheepishly, the teen opened his mouth to start talking again, cut off before he even began by the outer infirmary doors opening to admit Colonel Rhodes and Dr. Strange.
The military officer nodded to Kat slightly before focusing on "Kid, you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm good, is everyone else? That woman-wicked stuff, she kept going after me Dr. Strange and-"
"Mr. Parker."
"Yes?"
"Breathe."
A low gulp preceded the sorcerer lightly taking the teens chin in his hand, tipping Parker's head to get a better look at him, "Did Iwyn manage to land a hit on you?"
"She hit my back, disabled my parachute, but other than that-ow!" Peter cringed as Strange lightly prodded at the suit, nodding as the teen energetically pulled away from the pain.
"Bruises, nothing more. Shockwaves I'm suspecting from the hit, a whip?"
"Yeah."
Nodding, Strange waved off one of Dr. Cho's technicians, "Ice if needed, but I think you'll be fine. Colonel Rhodes will debrief you and make sure you get home."
"Yeah," Peter repeated, shrugging off what was supposed to be a supportive hand on his shoulder, "Okay."
Turning from the morose teen, Strange stepped up to Kate's bedside, motioning with his finger for her to turn so his practiced hands could brush down her spine in a familiar motion to the pair, and a bit odd to Loki until Kate visibly curled away from the slightly trembling fingers on the sorcerer.
"I'll ask you, and don't lie in front of the kid, did Iwyn hit you?"
Kate shivered for her own reasons, slumping into the bed with a huff, "Probably, don't think she hit the scars."
"Try to keep it that way, and quit jumping for awhile, you're burning out Katherine." Dr. Strange adjusted the IV lines critically, nodding in deference to Dr. Cho's silent addition of some other drug to try and get the full body tremors to stop wracking Kate's body.
"What in the nine realms did you manage to do to yourself?" Loki found himself asking, leaning lightly on the end of the infirmary bed and wondering if this was how Thor ever felt when Loki burned himself too fast with magic.
Especially in his youth…
A light glare was all Katherine afforded the Master of the Mystic Arts, before she winked at Loki with a tired grin, "Hey Rhodey?"
"Yeah darling?"
"Where'd they go put the crazy bitch?"
"Locked up down in the blast chamber, electrical bindings seem to do the trick, Thor's supervising."
"That's not supervising-"
"That's not supervising-"
Loki couldn't fight the grin at Kate and himself speaking at the same time, even as the infirmary doors opened again for another admittance.
Parker piped up before anyone else could, "Yeah, the only thing that worked when she was going after us was either my taser webs or Kate's bad attempts at lightning-"
"Speaking of, do you need those refilled? FRIDAY says you shot quite a few and it's easier to restock while right at the lab anyway-"
Loki wasn't the only one who jumped when Parker launched himself out of bed, colliding with Tony in a massive hug with an almost desperate air.
"Mr. Stark!"
Tada!
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