I want to thank WolverineQueen Midnight Star 2373 and Annabelle536 for their kindness and providing me with even more inspiration for this story! Thank you so much! Please if anyone else is reading this, go read their stories.
Meanwhile in the city, a young man, roughly in his mid twenties, stood outside a convenience store with too of his friends. He was just a simple crook, trying to do his best to get a better life, even if that meant doing the wrong thing to make ends meet. Not everyone was like Tony stark. It was a rough way of life, but when you grew up wishing for something greater things just had too be done the best way you knew how.
Still the crook was uncomfortable, usually he made his money trying to sell old things mainly anything he could get his hands on. Good thong he owned a pawnshop. Still, it wasn't doing a good job of paying the bills. So he was forced to return to a life of crime until he could pay the pills. It wasn't the most ideal thing t do, but what else was there?
There weren't that many people in the convenience store anyway, just a few people. Despite what he was about to do, he did not want it to end in violence. Just get the money and get out, evading any cops that came their way. The young man gulped. His palms were starting to sweat. He did not like this at all. But as he thought about the money, he pushed his anxiety aside, pulled up his mask and burst into the store with his too cronies, gun raised "hands up everyone!" he screamed. Every one turned, seeing a crazed gunman in the store. Some of them screamed. Others fell to the floor or scrambled to find cover from the gun in his hand.
Ignoring them, he turned to the cash register while his buddies looked out for anyone trying to be a hero.
Xander was by the chocolate milk cartons, examining which one to buy. He had always liked chocolate milk, ever since he was a kid. So on hi daily trips to the city for his mother, he always made sure to pick some up just as a little treat for him self
Not that he always did so; his mother had a budget that he needed to follow, despite the fact his father worked hard to provide for them. He never complained. Not that he could voice his concerns anyway. He gave a slight grin and shook his head.
He didn't mind his disability at all. He had been born like this. True he had been made fun of all his life for it, at least by either kids or people who lacked sympathy. Then again he also hated the look of pity he got from people when they found out about it as well.
He wasn't sure what was worse. True those who looked at him with pity weren't verbally insulting him, but it had always bothered him that that was the first thing they noticed about him. Sometimes they would just ignore him all together after that, like they were afraid to hurt his feelings. Not that they weren't already.
But he didn't care. He was a survivor. He didn't care what anyone else thought about him. He was just doing his best to make sure he went out into the world and made it better.
He put the milk in his basket, before turning around and was about to make his way to the cash register when he suddenly heard the door slam open " hands up everybody! "
Xander immediately hid behind a self, peeking over to look at the source of the voice. There were three men, dressed in all sorts of outfits, trying to look their best like crooks. He frowned. Robberies were fairly common in some places of New York, but the fact that it was happening now; in the middle of the day? That was surprising. Maybe he had just been lucky so far.
Still what could he do? He couldn't just be a hero. Not when they had guns. Still he had to do something? Maybe try and talk to them? Not likely to work. He didn't know whether or not they could even be reasoned with. Some people might be able to, but others? They could be high on something just to make it easier (though it would just make things harder really).
He sneaked over to the other side of the shelf, allowing him to be directly behind one of the crooks. The head one was just about ready to shoot at the store clerk, who was scared stifles.
"Put the money in the bag!" the crook screamed.
Not good.
Xander tried to sneak back, but inadvertently hit one of the supplies on the shelf, causing a loud smack.
The next thing he knew there was gunfire and all he saw was blackness.
Sam Wilson was doing his patrol of New York City for the day, flying overhead. Despite the fact that he was an avenger now, there were times where he felt it was necessary to look out for the little guy every once in a while. After all the avengers weren't always going to be facing threats like Alien invasions and homicidal Robots every other day. So when he wasn't training Sam was one of the few to attempt to patrol the city on a regular basis because in Steve opinion, he was less likely to to cause a mess because he was not either overpowered like Vision, or dangerous like War machine.
He was flying over some part of it when he suddenly heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire, quickly; he glided down to the street below, finding a convenience store. Inside was a massacre. There were bullet holes everywhere, people on the floor, screaming in terror as three Gunmen were waving their guns around, not even noticing the avenger staring right at them. Sam quickly activated his wrist com. "we are going to need EMP and the police. I'm witnessing a robbery right now." without waiting a moment later he burst into the shop, kicking one of the them in the back of the head, before taking his gun and shooting the others guns, causing them to drop their guns, before they ran off. Leaving the money behind. Falcon, satisfied, since he knew the police were probably on their way, grabbed the crook by the back of the neck and slammed him into the shelf with a loud bang. The ma groaned and fell to the floor unconscious. Well Sam definitely wasn't going to complain. As long as he wasn't causing any trouble until the police came, he was ok with the man being knocked out.
He turned to everyone in the store "is anyone hurt?" he cried out hoping he had managed to make it in time.
The cashier shook her head "no! Someone got hit behind you!" Sam turned and saw a shelf behind him, quickly he ran to the aisle ands found a young man that looked around Wanda's age lying on his stomach, with a gunshot wound in his shoulder, gushing blood everywhere. Sam quickly grabbed a rag off of the shelf and placed it on the boys wound, trying to keep the pressure on so that it would stop the blood loss. He quickly checked his pulse. It was faint, but still there.
"What did you do kid?" he asked himself. He noticed a basket next to them filled with various food and drink. "You were caught in the crossfire." He whispered. Sam had seen things like this during his time as a Para rescue man. Many civilians were just caught in war, without any reason or need. It was nauseating. All those dead bodies. No matter how many times he saw them, it never changed.
No! This kid wasn't dead. He was still alive. Sam heard the sound of the sirens, outside, before some officers and paramedics burst into the room. a moment later, the boy was taken away, rushed off to the hospital.
Sam frowned watching the whole scene. He walked out of the store before activating his winks and taking off back to the Facility. The captain was not going to like this report. He hated any sort of casualties in battle. It was the price to pay, but that didn't mean he liked it.
Neither did Sam.
Sam returned to the facility, with a disheartened look on his face. The sight of yet another civilian who was injured because he failed, really struck him hard (if only he knew how it would affect a certain young female he knew). He entered the facility where he was greeted by none other than the captain him self. "Sam!" He called "is… is everything alright?" he asked noticing the Falcons glower.
Sam huffed "it will be on the news fairly soon Cap." He said cryptically before walking away from the concerned Captain.
Steve watched Sam leave. Having been working with Sam for the past year (in both their efforts to find Bucky and their work with the Avengers), Steve knew San very well, such as knowing that he didn't take loss very well. So what had happened this time? Well he decided to find out rather than wait for the other soldier to tell him. he ran after Sam, grabbing him by the shoulder. "Sam! Wait!" he cried, spinning the Falcon around. He gripped Falcons shoulders reassuringly "what happened." he asked slowly and forcefully.
Falcon sighed, "There was a casualty Cap. A young boy around Wanda's age." He turned away. "God there was so much blood… it must have just missed a major artery" he stopped a moment. "I could have stopped it. If I had gotten there sooner.
"Sam. You didn't know." Steve said
Sam scowled "I know…. He was just a kid."
Steve looked at him confused "is he…" he stopped, dreading the answer.
Sam quickly shook his head "no Cap… he is still alive. But only just. At least when he was taken by the paramedics. I don't know what happened to him afterwards."
Steve smiled "I'm sure he is alright Sam. Come on, I could use a sparring partner."
Sam snorted. A sparring match with Captain America was tough hen you weren't Captain America. Mainly because he barely broke a sweat and it was tough to keep up. Still better than running laps he supposed.
He gave Steve a grin "all right."
Wanda stepped out of the training area, ready for a shower. It had ben a long day (thankfully Steve had let her at least work out, since she couldn't possibly destroy a set of weights)
She made her way back to her room, where she grabbed a set of relaxing cloths (she was not allowed to leave for missions, since she had yet to be cleared by the leaders) and entered her personal shower. She set the water on high and stripped her self of her clothing, before stepping into the shower. The water soothed her aching muscles and she let out a content sigh. Today had been a really good day. She grabbed her shampoo and body wash. She took the shampoo and lathered it over her head, making sure to reach every single hair, before taking the body lotion (which smelled like lavender, one of her favorites) and rubbed her body with it, sending tingles down her spine.
Afterwards, she washed the body products off of her self, simply standing in the water for a few moments, before shutting it off and stepped out of the shower, allowing her body to readjust to the cooler temperature. Shivering slightly. She grabbed her towel and dried herself off, before slipping into her undergarments, then putting on a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt. She then exited her bathroom and went to her bed, grabbing her remote and turning on the news. What she saw made her heart stop dead.
Sorry for the cliffhanger, lets see how this goes.
