Chapter 25: Tony

Tony would have been lying if he said he felt no trepidation as he approached the huge metal form of the Collector's ship without armor or backup.

It had been decided that he would act as a distraction for the Collector while the Guardians snuck in to steal the Stone. It was a simple plan, but it was the best they'd been able to come up with at short notice.

Tony just hoped it would work.

He focused on appearing calm and unsuspicious as he walked up to the airtight door in the ship's hull and knocked twice. It opened automatically after a moments' pause and Tony stepped into the strangest place he'd ever been.

The room he found himself in was huge, and crowded with a maze of tall glass cases. They were filled with hundreds of alien creatures of all shapes and sizes – some bizarre, and some downright gross. Not all of the imprisoned things were dead either.

Tony felt a shiver run down his spine as the door shut quietly behind him. "Oh, Mr. Collector…" he breathed as he moved further into the maze.

A slight sound from behind caused Tony to turn, coming face to face with a white-haired man in the most eccentric of outfits. Tony forced himself not to step backwards in surprise.

The man bowed slowly. "Welcome, stranger, to my collection," he said smoothly. "How may I help you?"

Tony searched for words. "Oh, I was just … window shopping," he managed. "That okay?"

The Collector smiled. "But of course. You have come at a good time. I am expecting some new additions this very day." He put a hand on Tony's shoulder and directed him to a large case that held a monstrous spider lying on its back, legs curled up in death.

"A rather impressive specimen from Loomworld," the Collector explained. "It could appear human at will, but died as an arachnid."

Tony felt something very much like fear stirring in his stomach as he stared at the dead spider, but forced himself to hide it. He just had to buy the others some time. "It's, uh … well, I've never seen one like it," he said at last.

"I specialize in the unique," the Collector agreed.

Tony couldn't help but notice how the man's gaze remained locked on him as he said the words. He looked away, unsettled. "And, uh, what's over there?" he asked, pointing to a large case across the aisle.

"That is empty," the Collector replied. "I am waiting for just the right creature to fill it."

"Like what?" Tony asked.

Suddenly the door opened and the Other entered, followed by twelve Chitauri and their prisoners: the Guardians.

Tony felt his heart sink as the Collector looked up at Groot – who was bound with wire rope and restrained by four Chitauri – in something near awe. "For this," the Collector breathed.

Tony felt rough hands grab him from behind and silently cursed. He tried to struggle, but it was useless. "Did I offend you?" he asked the Collector.

"Oh, no." The Collector smiled. "You just got here a little late. The Other has made me a generous offer for the Aether." He gestured at the prisoners. "New additions!"

Tony met Quill's gaze and saw his own horror reflected there. This day was going from bad to worse very fast.

The Collector bowed low before the Other and offered him the red Aether substance in its container. "As promised."

The Other accepted it. "You have Thanos' thanks, Collector."

"You sure you don't want to put him in one of your glass jars?" Tony asked the Collector, jerking his head at the Other. "He's far uglier than I am."

The Other sneered. "Save your breath, human," he suggested. "You'll need it soon enough."

The Collector moved towards Gamora, who sagged limply in her captors' grips, unconscious and bleeding slightly from the side of her head. "Let's start with this one," he said.

The Other gestured and two of his Chitauri carried Gamora over to a glass tank filled with clear liquid as the Collector directed them. They climbed the steps to the rim of the tank and prepared to submerge her.

Quill began to struggle wildly against his two captors. "You can't do that!" he yelled, his voice breaking with panic. "She'll drown!" One of the Chitauri holding him pressed a Chitauri taser to his neck and he cried out in pain.

"'Not cool!" Tony elbowed his own captors and received a shock as well.

"Calm yourselves," the Collector ordered. "She won't feel a thing. I'll administer a sleeping agent so none of you will either."

"That's a cold comfort, you spineless–" Rocket began before a zap cut him off.

Tony felt his stomach lurch as Gamora was lowered into the tank and hung suspended in the liquid.

Quill renewed his efforts to get free, screaming Gamora's name, oblivious to the shocks he was receiving.

"I am Groot!" Groot said urgently.

"Shut up, tree bark!" Rocket snapped at him. "We're about to be pickled!"

"I am Groot!" Groot insisted.

"I said–" Rocket began, then caught himself. "Wait! Say that again?"

A gunshot rang out, and suddenly a blue-skinned woman dropped into the center of the group from the walkway about the collection cases, blasters in hand, as one of the Chitauri fell. The woman straightened, and Tony felt a thrill of fear as she aimed her guns towards him. Then the guards on either side of him dropped to the floor and he felt a surge of hope.

They had an ally.

Two more Chitauri went down in rapid succession and then Drax was free, launching himself at the enemy with a roar.

Tony ducked as one of the aliens fired its weapon at him and the case behind him shattered. Through the chaos, he saw the Other slip out the door with three of his guards.

Before he could go after them though, Rocket picked up a dropped blaster and began firing in every which direction while Groot flailed his arms around like an out-of-control windmill, smashing into everything in his path, including the Collector.

There was no way Tony was getting past that safely. Even as he watched, Quill took a tree limb to the stomach and crashed backwards through one of the cases with the Chitauri he'd been fighting.

Fine then.

Tony grabbed a Chitauri weapon off the floor and ran to Gamora's case. He fired the weapon at the bottom corner of the glass pane and it shattered. The case exploded outwards in a mess of glass shards and slimy liquid, dousing Tony as he moved forward to catch Gamora as she fell onto him.

He lowered her to the floor as the fighting drew to a close around them, wiping his stinging face so he could see. He used his sleeve to clear the slim away from Gamora's mouth and nose and felt for a pulse. "Come on!" he pleaded. "Wake up." He turned to Quill. "Do you know CPR?"

The blue woman pushed past Quill before he could respond and knelt beside Gamora. She scooped up a Chitauri taser and flicked it to the highest setting before pressing it to Gamora skin.

Gamora convulsed once and gasped, then opened her eyes and began to cough violently.

"Okay…" Tony breathed a sigh of relief.

Gamora struggled into a sitting position and grabbed hold of the blue woman's arm as she regained her breath. "Nebula," she gasped. "What happened?"

"What happened is we won!" Rocket announced happily. His feet slipped out from under him in a puddle of slime and he sat down with a splash.

Quill groaned. "The Infinity Stone! That Chitauri guy's got it!"

"Correction," Rocket said from his puddle, "we lost."

"Not yet." Tony got to his feet as Quill and Nebula rushed for the door, and raced after them out of the Collector's ship.

AN: Points to you if you caught the comic book reference in this chapter! Let me know if you found it in the comments! ;)