From the Ashes

by Mr Toes

Shortly after the Blip, a family from Missouri struggles to find a new balance amongst the chaos. While confronting their own demons, the Bartons are forced to face off against a curious individual with a strange agenda; one which may have implications for everyone on Earth.

37. Chapter 37: All Hands on Deck! - Part 1

Chapter 37: All Hands on Deck! - Part One

The double doors slid open smoothly at our approach, and we stepped outside onto the parking lot. The sun was just touching the horizon, fat and red, and the first glimmer of starlight was just visible in the darkening sky. It was warm, but not too warm, and there was a slight bite to the air that suggested colder, darker nights weren't far away.

"What a beautiful evening," remarked my inner voice, "Which is nice, because I'm pretty sure it's the last one you'll ever see."

I stayed quiet, but as the distant headlights drew closer they brought with them a sense of impending doom. This was madness! Taking on eighty-odd mercenaries was clearly tantamount to suicide…but what other choice did we have? Thanks to Keame and his damn mind-games, our backs were against the wall. Either we stopped them here, or our family would pay the price.

"Blinky? Pinky? Form up," Thera muttered, "Threat display."

There was a flash of light, and Blinky and Pinky shot through the closing doors to settle into a high-speed orbit immediately behind the mystic. As they spun, the Wisps pulsed with power, leaving a trail of golden light that merged into a single brilliant halo, and a dangerous whum-whum-whum filled the air. The mystic smiled in satisfaction.

"There you go," he said, "Think that'll do the job?"

"Sure, it's impressive alright," Clint said tensely. He was holding his bow in a tight grip while he leafed carefully through his quiver, selecting an arrow by feel alone, "But it's…kinda showy."

"'Showy'? It's meant to be intimidating; of course it's showy!"

"An' you know what it tells me? That you're bluffing. The most intimidating people I've ever met didn't have big entrances or light shows; they were quiet, confident, and you knew that if they wanted you dead there wouldn't be a damn thing you could do about it." He paused, and added, "Nat was like that. Vi could be too, if she wasn't such a showboatin' motormouth."

"I like her just the way she is, thank you very much. Anyway—" Thera snapped his fingers, and the air around us crackled and hummed with energy. "—shields up! It's only got a five meter radius, so don't wander off!"

"Like before, right?"

"Like before," Thera said, "Only this time I don't have a book."

"Thank heavens for small mercies. Anyway—" Clint stopped and held up a hand. "—I reckon this is far enough. Don't want to risk steppin' in our own trap."

"Yeah, that'd be bad," I murmured. As the convoy drew ever closer, I felt my heart pound in my ears and my hands prickle with nervous energy. This was madness, right? Clint was an Avenger, Thera had his Wisps, and I was…what, exactly?
"Target practice?" suggested my little inner voice. "A burden? Let's be honest we both know you haven't got any business being here! Remember what happened last time you charged headlong into danger? Remember how badly Vi was hurt? She was lucky; what happens if Clint gets killed because of you?"

No! That wasn't going to happen! This time would be different, and besides…

"Hey, Inky," I said, "How's that…thing coming along?"
"I have yet to arrive at an acceptable solution," said Inky, "Of the four thousand routes simulated so far, almost all resulted in immediate and permanent neural scarring. I am continuing to optimise."

"That 'thing'?" Clint asked suspiciously. "What're you trying to do?"

"Be useful," I said, and tapped the side of my head. "What's the point of having a magic ball jammed in my brain if I can't put it to good use?"

"I dunno," Clint looked dubious, "'Immediate and permanent neural scarring'?"

"You're just jealous that you're not getting magical superpowers!" I said playfully, and then turned serious. "Look, I'm tired of just standing here while you guys do everything! If Blacknest comes in guns blazing, I want to do more than just dive for cover!"

"You're here, hon. Turnin' up is half the battle," Clint smiled, "At least this way we're not gonna get separated."

"Never again," I gently clasped his shoulder, "And afterwards, I'm thinking of an expensive takeout and a nice bottle of wine to celebrate. You?"

"Sounds perfect," Clint agreed, and then his expression became set. "Alright, guys. Here they come!"

With a roar of power the convoy thundered into the parking lot. In the darkness, the humvees were nothing more than black, heavy-set silhouettes with dazzling headlamps, and I threw up a hand as they swept across the tarmac with astonishing speed. There was a screech of tyres, a cloud of dust, and when I lowered my hand again I realised we were almost completely surrounded by Blacknest vehicles, pinning us against the building.

"Just like at the warehouse," Clint muttered. A deafening silence descended on the parking lot, and the air thrummed with tension while we waited for them to make their move. With a ripple of clicks the car doors opened almost in unison, and a horde of men and women piled out.

"Um…what's this?" Thera looked on, genuinely confused, "I didn't know mercenary groups had mufti days."

I was forced to agree. These weren't like the swaggering, self-confident mercs we'd seen at the warehouse, all decked out in military gear. No; these were regular people, wearing regular clothing, and they were carrying a strangely diverse array of firearms. Pistols, shotguns, automatic rifles…it was as if they had grabbed whatever had come to hand, but as they inched forwards we found ourselves at the centre of a veritable forest of crosshairs.

"Hold on," I said, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say Pexley might've had to scrape the bottom of the barrel a little harder than he'd expected."

"Don't let your guard down; I only count twelve vehicles," Clint said shortly, "The real mercs'll be hanging back."

"So these guys are cannon fodder?"

"Pretty much. It's like the goddamn Tracksuit Mafia all over again."

"The who?"

"Once we've dealt with these idiots, remind me to tell you about those idiots," Clint said, and the advancing horde stopped as he raised his bow to his shoulder, "But right now…"

I felt a chill run down my spine as the reservists advanced on us, more like a mob than a mercenary outfit. If they'd been professionals, I could have at least trusted them to hold their fire, but these guys? Collectively they were packing some serious firepower, and they looked so jumpy that even a sudden breeze could set them off. If they started shooting, could Thera's shields really stop them all?

"Just a little closer, guys…" Clint said, under his breath, "C'mon now."

The rabble stopped suddenly, responding to some unseen signal, and then with some jostling they parted to admit a heavyset man who was clearly part of Blacknest proper. Unlike his subordinates, he was wearing matte-black body armour and carried a sleek, modern-looking rifle that caught the evening sun in strange and unsettling ways. As he approached, his gaze passed in turn over Thera and myself, pausing briefly to inspect Thera's Wisps, and finally alighted warily on Clint. The two stared at each other for a long, heartstopping moment, and I saw Clint's fingers tense ever-so-slightly around the bowstring.

"So," the merc said, his voice low and menacing, "Are you all that's left? An Avenger, a freak, and an orator. Keame must be desperate."

"That's funny, buddy," Clint said, "We were just thinkin' the same about you. Where'd you dredge these jokers up from?"

"It's the worst post-apocalyptic raiding party I've ever seen!" Thera burst out, "No leather, no gimps, and- oh wait, there's one. Never mind."

"So where's Pexley?" I asked sharply, "Too scared to show up?"

The merc leered, "Too scared to show up? He's running this op, sweetheart."

"From a nice, safe location, no doubt," I smiled coldly, "Hanging people out to dry seems to be his MO."

"Yeah? And what about Keame?"

"We don't work for Keame."

"So why don't you be a good girl and just stand down? This ain't your fight."

"Isn't it? It kind of feels like you made it my fight," I said, "You know, when your boss tried to have me tortured to death."

"That's what happens when you screw with Blacknest," the merc shrugged, "It's nothing personal; just business."

"Yeah? We'll see if you're still singin' that tune when I put an arrow between your eyes," Clint said, "Just like your buddies who came knockin' at Thera's door."

"The ones who didn't accidentally vaporise themselves, at least," Thera remarked, "I've never met a self-disposing mercenary group before, y'know. Really saved on the tidying up."

The mercenary's jaw tightened. "There're over seventy of us, and three of you. You looking to commit suicide?"

"Let's find out," Clint said, and let fly. The arrow surged forward with a piercing whistle, and traced a glittering, golden path as it flew through Thera's shielding to vanish into the darkness beyond. I heard a faint 'tink'.

"Was that it—" there was a cacophonous report, a brilliant flash, and suddenly the air was filled with screams of panic as a Humvee was hurled skywards on a column of flame. Another car detonated spectacularly, spraying shrapnel in all directions, and I ducked back reflexively as a door slammed into Thera's shields and shattered into crackling, sizzling shards. The mystic winced, and stared at Clint in wide-eyed shock.

"Sod me; what the hell did you leave around out there?" he shouted. Nearby, a reservist staggered and dropped to the floor, bleeding from a dozen needle-sharp puncture wounds, while another twitched and convulsed violently as sparks crackled across her body.

"I told you; my trick arrowheads!" Clint shouted back. From somewhere behind the cars there came a powerful whump and a mercenary was hurled through the air, screaming in terror. He hit the ground with a wet snap of bone and lay there, limp and unmoving, "I didn't have time to check the labels!"

"You mean we've been driving around with those things in the godsdamned boot this entire time?" Thera yelled, struggling to be heard over the pandemonium. His eyes widened in horror. "Hold on — you pointed one of them at me! Twice!"

"C'mon; you think I'd waste a trick arrow on you?"

"But—" Thera shielded his eyes as another trick arrow went up with an intense wave of light and heat. It burned like a miniature sun, scorching everything within reach, and when it faded all that remained was a charred chassis and a pool of glowing, bubbling tarmac. "—Goddess! What else do you have in that damn quiver?"

Clint smirked, "Everythin' I need, buddy. Still reckon I need your help 'holding the line'?"

"If I were you, I'd save that smug expression for when we've actually won, mate," Thera said tartly, and then he cocked his head, "That being said…is it over?"

I listened carefully. After that assault of light and noise, the silence that had descended on the parking lot was almost deafening. If I strained, I imagined I could hear the faint whimpers and groans of the injured, and the crackle of burning wreckage. Otherwise, all was still.

"I think it is," I said, quietly, "You think there's anyone left?"

"If they're not running, they're more stupid than they look," Clint said, "An' that's a tough bar to clear."

Looking around, I had to agree. Of the twelve cars, only four remained; the rest had been reduced to twisted wrecks and flaming husks, spewing thick black smoke across the parking lot. Amongst the devastation lay countless Blacknest reservists, their clothing shredded and bodies covered in cuts, bruises, burns, and blood.

"Christ," I murmured, and thought of Vi's attack on the warehouse. I hadn't really believed her when she'd talked about the ruin the Avengers left in their wake, but…if she'd been 'efficient', then what was this?

"Hey; there's our mate," Thera pointed. I followed his finger, and gagged at the sight. The Blacknest merc lay unmoving, crumpled against one of the burning Humvees. His face was an unrecognisable, bloodied mess, seared to the bone by a thick green fluid that hissed and ate at the tarmac where it fell, "Acid arrows, mate? Really?"

"I don't normally use 'em on people, if that's what you're wondering!" Clint said defensively, "But sometimes you gotta melt through something real quick."

"If you say so," Thera stepped forward, and then stopped. "And…just what am I standing in here, Clint? Purple goo?"

"Putty."

"Putty? Why? Do you also do kids' parties?"

"You don't need to blow everythin' up, you know."

"You don't? Are you sure you're an Avenger— Goddess!" There was a distant 'crack' of a rifle, and a bullet tore through a nearby wing mirror as we dove behind the comparative safety of a wrecked Humvee, "They're back for more!"

"Told you the real mercs would be hanging back!" Clint said, "Guess they figured that trap was a one-time thing!"

"Or Pexley anticipated it and sent the scrubs in first!" Thera snapped. Another bullet punched through a car door and exploded on his shields, "Come on, not again! Can you see 'em?"

Clint looked carefully through a cracked window, and ducked back as a hail of gunfire peppered his position, "No! Pretty sure they know where we are, though! You think your little light show might have something to do with that?"

"Hey! You leave my Wisps out of this!"

My phone buzzed, "Perimeter alert!"

"Yes, Inky, we know!" Thera shouted, "Triangulate their position and overlay!"

"I am not referring to Blacknest. The Arachnid has breached the pre-set perimeter condition and is advancing rapidly on our location. It is likely investigating the sounds of combat."

"What?" Clint's eyes went wide, "But Keame shut it down!"

"Based upon its current behaviour, I would surmise his attempts were unsuccessful."

"I swear, the first chance I get-"

"Never—" I ducked down as a slug whipped overhead, "—mind that! We've got to get back inside! If we stay out here we'll either be shot to ribbons by Blacknest or caught in a nuclear explosion!"

"The latter is unlikely; the Arachnid's power draw remains below the threshold for a catastrophic resonance event. As long as it does not see a need to escalate engagement, this will remain the case."

"Works for me!" Clint said, and scrambled to his feet, "Stay close to me! Don't fall behind!"

We sprinted for the doors as fast as we could, slipping and skidding on fragments of shattered glass and broken metal. Behind us there came a sudden roar of engines, and when I looked over my shoulder I saw several Humvees hurtling across the grass, tyres carving deep tracks in the dirt as they raced towards us.

"Oh, shit!" I shouted. "Guys! They're right on top of us! They're-"

My foot caught on a treacherous piece of wreckage. I staggered, tripped, and would have fallen had Clint not caught me roughly by the shoulder. As he helped me carefully to my feet, I heard the Blacknest reinforcements come screeching to a halt in the parking lot, and an unpleasant prickling sensation took up residence between my shoulder blades.

"Careful, hon," he said, as he helped me carefully to my feet. "No sudden movements."

"Yeah," said a rough, deep voice. "You better listen to your husband, Barton. I'd hate to have to knock your teeth out a second time."

My blood turned to ice, and even as I turned towards the voice I knew exactly what to expect. Four mercs stood in the doorway, dressed from head-to-toe in the finest gear money could buy. There was no doubt about it; these had to be the elites of Blacknest, with Pexley at their head. A murderous smile played on his lips, and for a single terrifying instant I was back on the stage at St. Louis, staring at his upraised fist through dying eyes.

"Hon? Hon!" Clint gave me a gentle shake. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," I shook off the memory and glared at Pexley. "My teeth are fine, Commander. I happen to know an excellent medic."

"Good," the commander laughed, evilly, "You're gonna need him. How's Miller?"

"Alive. For now."

"It would've been kinder if you killed him," Pexley's eyes narrowed, "When I'm done here, I'm gonna reach into whatever hole you stuffed him into and make a goddamn example out of him."

"Yeah, I kinda doubt that," Clint said, "You have just seen what I've done to your army, right?"

Pexley shrugged, "Who cares what happens to some Blip Centre strays? They ain't worth anything to anyone."

Thera's eyes flashed dangerously, and a crackle of energy ran up and down his shields. "Don't push your luck, mate."

"What? Are you threatening me?" Pexley laughed uproariously, "You? You're a goddamn gutless pacifist!"

"That may be so, but you kidnapped my Poppy, hurt my mate, and forced me to experience Hawkeye's driving!" Thera said, his voice rising, "Everyone's got their limits, Pexley, and I found mine doing ninety-seven down a bloody Missouri highway!"

Pexley hesitated, and for the first time I saw a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.

"But on the other hand, I kind of feel like I'd be stealing you from Hawkeye or Ronin," Thera smiled coldly. "Go home, Pexley. If you leave now you might stand a chance of getting out of this alive."

"Let's see if you're still smilin' in a second, 'Empowered'," Pexley said, and gestured harshly through the door, "Bring 'im through!"

The doors slid open, and I felt a sudden jolt as I heard the sounds of a desperate struggle from inside. A moment later, there was an eye watering 'crack', and then two mercs emerged, dragging an enormous, bloodied man by the shoulders.

"Bill!" Clint exclaimed, as they flung him roughly to the ground, "You bastards—"

"Don't you move!" Pexley said dangerously, and in a single smooth motion he pulled his pistol from its holster and aimed carefully at Bill's head, "If you do, I'll blow his brains out."

Bill lay there for a moment, almost completely motionless, and then forced himself to his elbows with a long, drawn-out groan. He looked to each of us in turn, blearily and without recognition, and as he turned away I could see a small dribble of blood coming from his right ear. With those injuries he was lucky to be alive, and I felt my fists clench reflexively as I raged internally. How dare they? How dare they?

"Found this fool leading a bunch of refinery boys down the old back road," Pexley said, with a smug smile, "The one Keame thinks he's kept hidden from us 'idiot mercs'. Damn hero knocked out one of my men buying time for the rest to get away, so I figured we'd return the favour."

"So now what? It kinda feels like we're at a bit of an impasse," Clint drew back his bow, "You shoot him, and I'll shoot you. Hell, maybe I'll shoot you anyway."

"And then what?" Pexley sneered, "These shield's are pretty, but how long're they gonna last when my men start blasting? You'd be signing your own death warrant!"

"C'mon, I did that when I became an Avenger."

"Brave words, Hawkeye, but we both know you've got too much to live for. After all those cold, lonely years without your wife an' kids…you ain't gonna throw it all away now. Not for him."

"Are you beggin' me to shoot you?" Clint drew back a little further, "'Cause if you are, I'd be happy to oblige."

"Hold on, Clint," Thera murmured, "This isn't going to help."

"You sure, buddy? I reckon Missouri'd be much better off without this guy."

"Oh, without a doubt, but he's right. Let's not get ourselves riddled with bullets if we can possibly help it, eh?"

"So what're we gonna do?"

Pexley laughed, "I'll tell you what you're going to do. You're going to turn off that fancy bubble of yours and surrender. Otherwise, I'll—"

Thera rolled his eyes, "Kill Bill. Yeah, we think we understand."

"You think I'm gonna stop there? This guy's been a real pain in the ass! In fact…" he smiled, nastily, "He's got a family, right? When I'm done here, I think I'll pay them a little visit."

"Don't you dare!" I shouted suddenly, "Pexley, if you so much as touch them, I'll—"

"What? You'll what, Barton? You want to go another round? 'Cause let's be honest, you don't look so hot after the last one."

"I'm going to kill him," said Clint, his voice low and dangerous. "I'm actually gonna kill him."

"And if you do that, his men will kill us," Thera said. "Look, I haven't stopped running since I left your house. I'm tired, I'm hungry, I've had the shit kicked out of me, and to top it off Inky's drinking enough power to light a small town. These shields won't take a barrage."

"So we need a third option," Clint said, and snapped his fingers, "Inky? How far away is that Arachnid?"

"Two hundred thirteen meters, bearing one eight three. ETA: one minute."

He nodded, "We've gotta stall him. At least until the Arachnid gets here."

"You mean…until that giant walking bomb gets close enough to fulfil its fondest desire?" Thera looked incredulous, "Some of us might consider that a fairly significant drawback!"

"Hold on, Thera," I said, coming to Clint's defence, "You heard what Inky said! As long as we don't piss it off, we'll be fine!"
"And you guys complained that we played fast and loose! I assume you've got a plan?"

"Not at all," Clint said. "But we gotta play for time, and that thing's our best hope."

"Assuming it doesn't just slaughter us!"

"It won't! When he was trying to shut it down, Keame wouldn't stop going on and on and on about all of its fancy safety features! Facial recognition, advanced threat assessments, proportional responses…that thing wasn't bought for combat; it was brought to protect the refinery and its employees!"

"Like Bill," I said, "If Pexley thinks he can shoot him in front of the Arachnid, he'll have to think again. It'll be a standoff — at least until Vi arrives."

Thera exhaled heavily, and ran his fingers across his hat, "Fine; I guess I haven't got any better ideas. Just try not to get us all killed, yeah?"

"No guarantees," Clint said, "Now we just gotta stall him."

"I've got this. Just play along," I said, and raised my voice so everyone could hear, "I'm sorry, Clint, but he's right! We can't win; not against Blacknest!"

"What? C'mon!" Clint objected, "I reckon I can take 'em!"

"No! Clint! Think of our kids! What's going to happen to them if we get gunned down here. You've risked so much to bring us back; please don't throw it all away now!"

"You guys are terrible actors," Thera muttered. "Is being shot still an option?"

"Arachnid ETA: Forty seconds."

Clint's jaw worked as he stared down the Blacknest mercenaries, and then he sighed and lowered his bow, "You're right. Damnit!"

From Pexley's expression, it was clear that he wasn't quite sure if he could believe his eyes. For a moment he wavered, clearly torn between suspicion and the thought of actually capturing an Avenger, and then a victorious grin spread across his face.

"That's right, Hawkeye; put it down, slowly. Real slowly." he said smugly, "And then put your hands above your head. You too, 'Empowered'; if I see any signs of you tryin' to get your magic on, then—"

"Yes! I get it!" Thera said irritably, "Goddess, you really do have a one-track mind, don't you?"

"Just reminding you what's at stake. Y'know, in case you change your mind," said Pexley, "Now lower your shields."

"So you can shoot us?"

"We ain't gonna shoot you. Not 'till you tell us where that two-bit weasel Keame's hiding."

"And then you're going to shoot us? That seems like a pretty poor incentive."

"Twenty seconds," Inky reported.

"It's the best you're gonna get, freak!" Pexley said, "So if I were you, I'd…I'd…"

He trailed off, and a moment later I felt the ground shudder under my shoes. It was weak at first, barely noticeable, but it rapidly increased in both power and tempo until the wreckage around us was bouncing off the tarmac. In the distance, I could hear a thud-thud-thud, and when I looked—
"Oh, Christ," I murmured. The Arachnid was darting towards us, scuttling down the road far faster than I thought possible. In the light of the setting sun, its swirling, gleaming skin glowed a deep russet red, and the long, articulated tail twitched and flexed as if in eager anticipation.

"Here it comes," Clint said, with a shudder, "Gotta say; it's a lot more menacing up close."

Thera glanced at him, "What, don't like spiders?"

"Nah, I'm okay with spiders. Some of 'em are kinda cute. Spiders the size of tanks an' packing heavy weaponry? Not so much."

"Agreed. That thing brings back memories," Thera said grimly, "So…what do we do now?"

"Absolutely nothing," Clint said promptly. "Remain completely still."

I raised an eyebrow, "You think it can only see movement? Like a T-Rex?"

"No, but Keame was sayin' that they won't attack if you aren't threatening. I mean, c'mon, can you imagine the fallout if it chopped an employee in half?"

"You're taking a lot on faith here, Clint!" Thera said, "I thought I was meant to be the religious one!"

"Yeah…well, it's all we got left," he said. "Now look harmless!"

As the Arachnid stormed towards us, I had to admit that Thera had a point. Taking Keame at his word was undeniably risky, but I was pretty sure Clint was right. The refinery magnate was a lot of things, but he seemed to view his employees almost as an extension of his family. No way would he risk someone getting hurt because the Arachnid took a dislike to them, and while I had no idea what that meant for us, I at least shared Clint's confidence that it wouldn't immediately tear us limb from limb. Besides, there was the small matter of Bill…

The enormous spider-bot came to a halt a short distance away, and its optics came to life with a sicky green hue. Everyone froze, and for a long, tense moment all eyes were on the Arachnid.

"What's it doing?" Thera asked, tensely.

"What Keame said it'd do," Clint replied, "It's just…scoping us out. Makin' sure it knows who the real threat is."

"I concur," said Inky. "Although I am not detecting any indications of active scanning, that does not rule out passive scanning techniques. I would not recommend making any sudden movements at this time."

"You see? It's all fine," Clint kept his hands over his head and leaned ever-so-slightly towards me, "So far, so good, right?"

"Well, we're not dead yet!" I said encouragingly. "Good call, hon."

"Hey, I have my moments."

"So…now what?"

"Now we're at an impasse, right Pexley?" Clint looked triumphantly at the mercenary commander, "'Cause if you shoot Bill, that thing's gonna tear you to pieces!"

Pexley stared briefly at the Arachnid, and then chuckled a low, derisive little chuckle, "Really? You think that thing's gonna save you, Hawkeye? Seriously?"

"Um—"

"It's not going to attack us, you idiot! We're Blacknest! It's programmed to think we're friendly!"

"So what about Bill, then?" I countered. "That thing was built to protect the refinery and its employees! If it had to choose between you, what do you think it's going to do?"

"Absolutely nothing, 'cause—" Pexley fished around inside his jacket for a second, and pulled out a small round object, "—I got this! You know what it is?"

I squinted. In the gloom it was impossible to make any real details, other than the fact it was black and looked faintly plasticy. Even so, it did have a vaguely 'button'-y look about it, so that meant—

"It's the remote control to your garage?" Clint said, and Pexley snorted.

"It's a kill-switch for these damn bots! See, I figured Keame'd try to run us off at some point, so I made sure I got my hands on this so's he couldn't just turn 'em loose!" He smiled, his teeth glittering in the Arachnid's glow, "I can do whatever I want to this idiot; if the spider gets antsy, I'll just shut it down!"

"We tried that already. It didn't work!"

"Bullshit!"

"Why the hell would I try to bullshit you over that?" Clint said, "Do you think we wanted to have a killer robot tearing up the place? Listen, Pexley; if you shoot Bill and that thing goes on a rampage, we're all dead!"

"Clint's right!" Thera added, "If the Arachnid powers up for real, it'll explode with enough force to take out half the county!"

"Well, then—" Pexley aimed carefully at the back of Bill's head, "—the way I see it, you'd better drop those shields and start doin' what I say. Otherwise we're going to have an apocalypse on our hands!"

"That's insane!" I said, before I could stop myself. Pexley froze, and when he turned to look his face was mottled with sudden rage.

"Are you callin' me insane, Barton?" he snarled, in a voice that barely sounded human. "You know what insanity is? Sidin' with Keame and thinking you could get away with it!"

"No, I—" I stammered, taken aback by his sudden ferocity.

"You know what? I'm glad you guys got away from Miller," he went on, in a low growl. "'Cause that means I've got you all to myself. By the time I'm done with you, you're going to be begging for me to put you out of your misery!"

I rallied, and pinned him with a steely gaze, "C'mon, that'd be a lot more intimidating if you hadn't made that exact same threat back in St. Louis, Pexley."

"Yeah? Well, here's a new one!" Pexley said, "Ten seconds, Barton! If you guys don't drop that shield and surrender, we're gonna roll the dice with the damn spider-bot! Ten!"

"Well, crap," said Thera, "The Arachnid wasn't quite as useful as we'd hoped."

"—nine!—"

"That doesn't matter right now!" I said, "If we don't do something, he's going to shoot Bill!"

"—eight!—"

"Yeah, no kidding," Clint said, darkly, "Trouble is, if I move, he'll shoot, he's got Thera's Wisps locked down—"

"—seven!—"

"Not all of them!" I said, "How about Inky? Can't she do something?"

My phone buzzed, "At this stage, activating my defensive suite would be immediately and spectacularly lethal."

"That Arachnid exploding would be immediately and spectacularly lethal! We don't have a choice!"

"—six!—"

"Actually, we might. Clyde's still up there," Thera flicked his eyes skywards. "The only trouble is getting him close to Pexley without being spotted. He's not exactly well-armed."

"—five!—"

"Leave that to me," I said firmly.

Clint looked at me, anxiously. "I don't like the sound of that, hon. What're you going to do?"

"Get his attention!" I said. "You said it yourself; he's got you and Thera locked down, so why not me? I'll tell you why; he doesn't think I'm a threat!"

"—four!—"

"'cause you're—" Clint began.

"Not. I'm…not," I said, quite honestly. "But that's why this'll work! You saw how mad he just got when he thought I was calling him insane!"

Thera nodded, "That's true. You keep that up and he might just have an aneurysm."

"—three!—"

"And I know why! Look, I'm not an Avenger, I'm not Empowered—" I nodded at Thera, "—I'm just…Laura. Pexley can handle defiance from you guys because you're 'special', but me? I'm just some random woman! If I stand up to him…"

"Yeah, I see where you're goin' with this," Clint said, "You really think it's gonna work?"

"—two!—"

"He almost killed me for it before," I replied, matter-of-factly. "I'll buy us some time. Just make sure Clyde gets to Pexley."

"One! Last chance!" Pexley shouted, "One way or another, it's over!"

"Alright hon, it's showtime," Clint said, "Drive that bastard wild."

---

I could feel the eyes of Blacknest on me as I stepped up to the edge of Thera's shield. This was going to work; it had to. Keame was right when he'd said that Pexley was cruel and vindictive, but he hadn't realised what that actually meant. In reality, that brutal strongman act was nothing more than a front for a fragile ego, rife with insecurity. He didn't want to shoot Bill; he wanted to win — no, he had to win! He needed everyone around him to see him as a winner, and that meant that as long as I defied him, he couldn't back down. I had him hooked.

"Over? You think this is over?" I laughed, "You still think you're going to walk away from this, don't you? You and all your little toy soldiers. Haven't you worked it out yet?"

Pexley scowled angrily, "Worked what out?"

"Oh, so you haven't?" I rolled my eyes, "Of course you haven't — because you're a damn idiot! You're nothing more than a jumped up thug with delusions of adequacy!"

Pexley's jaw worked, and when he finally spoke venom dripped from every syllable, "Those're pretty brave words, Barton, 'specially coming' from someone standing behind a shield."

"Oh yeah? At least my shield isn't a bunch of desperate men and women I picked up from a nearby Blip Centre. That was a real mark of courage, sending them to their deaths like that!"

There was a faint glint of gold, far overhead, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Clyde arcing through the clouds towards the HQ's roof. For this to work, it wouldn't be enough to just hold Pexley's attention; I had to distract the whole of Blacknest. How could I do that?

"But I guess courage isn't really your thing, is it?" I continued. "I always thought that leaders were meant to lead from the front, like Rogers or Stark, but you? You sent Caleb to take out Bulgakov, Smith and those other guys to take out Thera, and even now—" I pointed at the slumped over, half-dissolved Blacknest merc who had led the reservist column, "—you sent that guy in first to spring Hawkeye's trap! How many more people're you going to throw to the wolves to save your own skin?"

"Shut your damn mouth, Barton!" Pexley growled, but the mercenaries near Pexley shifted uncomfortably, casting furtive glances in the direction of their fallen comrade. While I couldn't see their expressions through the masks, there was suddenly a definite sense of dissatisfaction in the air. Had I hit on something? Maybe, and if it kept them occupied while Clyde made his move then that was the thread I needed to pull on.

"Why don't you come over here and make me?" I said. It was childish, but I hoped that just made it sting all the more, "It's not like I could put up much of a fight, right? Or is it that you're scared?"

"I ain't scared of you!"

I smiled nastily, "Oh, I think you are. You're terrified, because you know that I'm telling the truth."

"And what truth is that?"

"That you're a minnow amongst giants, Pexley," I said, mercilessly boring in, "It's why you're hiding behind hostages and your own mercenaries. It's why you torture innocent men and kidnap children. The truth is you know you don't belong; you don't stand a chance against Hawkeye or Ronin, and even if you survive the only place you're going is straight back to the gutter. That's where you belong!"

The Blacknest commander went completely still, his face contorted with animalistic rage. As he stuttered hatefully, a tiny golden glint caught my eye, about halfway up the frontage. Clyde had to be almost there, right? Just a little bit longer…

"What, you think I'm wrong? Your men don't!" I said, indicating his troops with a brief wave of my hand, "None of them stepped forward to defend you, did they? And let's be honest; why should they? They've had to watch their buddies get slaughtered over and over and over again while all you've done is rant from the sidelines! You're weak, Pexley, and after tonight I bet you won't be seeing your men for dust!"

"Weak? Nobody calls me weak!"

"No, but they're all thinking it. You know that!"

The commander paused, and then suddenly rounded in on an unfortunate mercenary. "Do you think I'm weak?"

The mercenary's hesitation was almost imperceptible, but it was there, "Um...no!"

"No, what?"

"No sir!"

Pexley glowered at him for just a moment longer, and then moved down the line, "And how about you? Do you—"

"No sir!" the masked man said, crisply. Pexley leaned in close, staring deep into the merc's eyes, and then he lashed out with an enormous fist. There was an unpleasant meaty sound as it connected solidly with the man's solar plexus, and with a groan of pain he collapsed to the floor and curled up into a ball of agony.

"You're lying!" Pexley bellowed. He spun around wildly waving his pistol in the air, and the remaining mercenaries all took a prompt step back. "You all think I'm weak, don't you? Like her! After everything I've done for you!"

"Bloody hell," Thera murmured. "I think you broke him!"

The Blacknest commander reached out and grabbed another man by his collar, "When Simon came to me, did I leave you in the gutter? No! I made sure you had a place! You had a job! You had money! You had respect! All because of me! And you—" he threw the mercenary roughly to one side, and in a flash had another in his grip. "—where were you before I started Blacknest? You were rotting in a goddamn Blip Centre! Your family abandoned you, the Army abandoned you, but did I? No — and this is how you repay me?"

The mercenary struggled futilely in Pexley's grasp, and then the commander dropped him to the ground with a sneer.

"You're all useless! That's why they've been wiping the floor with you! I should've taken the lead from the start!" he shouted, with a wild-eyed stare. "I'll show you idiots what it really means to be Blacknest!"

"Shit! He's going to shoot Bill!" I said, as the commander stalked towards the prone man and hauled him up by his collar. In an instant, his pistol was pressed hard against Bill's skull, "Is Clyde—"

"Locking on now!" Thera said, "Just a…moment…!"

"Thera!" I shouted, "Come on!"

"Your pet freak can't help you now, Barton!" Pexley smiled wickedly, "Goodbye, Bill."

The world seemed to slow, and I watched with mounting horror as Pexley's finger tightened on the trigger. At the last possible moment, the night sky lit up with a brilliant light as Clyde flared like a star and stabbed out with a beam of blazing gold. It wrapped around the pistol just as the hammer slammed home, and then there was a loud bang and a puff of dust as the bullet slammed into the tarmac. It must have missed Bill by inches.

"Christ!" I said, and felt a wave of relief, "That was too damn close!"

Thera sagged. "You're telling me! Thanks, Laura. Couldn't have done it without you."

"What the fuck?" Pexley swore, struggling against Clyde's beam, "What's this?"

"Oh, that's Clyde. He's been stalking you this whole time. Y'know, while you were having that little temper tantrum and beating up your mates? Gave him the perfect opening."

"Tell your 'Clyde' to give me back my fucking pistol!" Pexley shouted, and lunged for the gun with his other hand. The beam flickered as man and Wisp struggled for supremacy, "I'm going…to—"

A loud, chilling noise tore through the night sky, seemingly somewhere between a screech and a klaxon. I looked towards the source of the noise, and my blood turned to ice as the Arachnid's optics shaded from green to red. With a slow, deliberate tread and a whine of motors, the spiderbot drew itself up to its full height, towering over the Humvees, and its tail came to life with an ominous glow.

"Oh dear," said Thera, "'Looks like the Arachnid really didn't like that."

"Nope," Clint looked warily at the spiderbot, "Pexley, stop!"

"Shut up!" With a yell of exertion Pexley tried to wrest the gun away from Clyde, and a ripple of gunshots filled the air as he fired wildly, each shot punctuated by a litany of curses and shouts of frustration.

"Pexley!" Thera shouted, but it was too late. A bullet, well wide of its intended mark, punched through one of the Arachnid's optics with an impressive bang of exploding electrics. In an instant the enormous spider came fully to life, its remaining compound eyes glowing with a murderous gleam, and it reared up on its back legs and emitted a ferocious roar that rattled the glass in its panes. Cries of alarm went up all around me as the Blacknest mercs ran for cover, but I found myself rooted to the spot, completely transfixed by the towering terror.

"Laura!" Clint's voice sounded far away, but a moment later I felt his arm across my shoulder as he pulled me behind a chunk of flaming metal, "You okay?"

"I…I—" I stuttered, and then the Arachnid slammed down hard on its front legs, smashing the tarmac to chunks with a terrible crash.

"Goddess!" Thera swore, from the other side of our cover, "He just had to go and piss it off, didn't he? What's wrong with that imbecile?"

I peered out through a tire rim. To his credit, Pexley hadn't budged an inch, and stared down the Arachnid with an almost contemptuous look as he whipped out the kill-switch and pointed it dramatically at the robot.

"Cowards! I told you, I've got this!" he shouted, and stabbed down on the button with a single, meaty finger. Nothing happened.

"Saw that coming," Clint murmured. Pexley tried again and again, his movements becoming more desperate, and when he looked back up his expression had twisted into a mixture of sudden realisation and wide-eyed terror. With a whirr of servos, the Arachnid's tail snapped over, its tip now glowing a bright cherry red.

"Systems alert!" said Inky, "The Arachnid is now entering combat mode! Power consumption is increasing!"

Staring death in the face, the commander somehow willed himself to move and dove for cover behind a destroyed vehicle. A thin red beam scythed across the ground, leaving a red-hot trace in its wake, and effortlessly sliced the Humvee in two with a shower of sparks and molten metal.

"Did not see that coming!" Clint sounded both impressed and worried, "I think we're in trouble here, hon."

"What're you doing, boys?" Pexley yelled, and I could hear the panic in his voice. "Take it down!"

Once again, the sounds of combat echoed off nearby as the mercs opened up on the Arachnid with a withering barrage. It staggered, pushed back by the ferocious assault, but then regained its footing and charged one of the Humvees, bowling it over like a skittle. I heard a scream of panic from inside the car, which was suddenly and brutally cut short as the spider pierced the chassis with its cruelly pointed legs, shredding the armoured vehicle in seconds before moving on to its next target.

"Goddess!" Thera looked on in horrified awe, "What the hell is it doing?"

"Its job!" Clint barked, "What did you expect?"

"Not…that! What possible threat warranted buying six of these? What was Keame thinking?"

"He wasn't thinking, remember? That's the whole point!"

"Critical alert!" Inky snapped, "Risk of resonance increasing! Evacuate area immediately!"

"Not now, guys!" I said, "Inky's right; we need to get back inside!"

Thera tore his gaze from the ongoing carnage and nodded briskly, "Right. Pinky? Blinky? Grab Bill!"

There was a pause.

"Yes, I know he's heavy! Stop complaining and get him inside!"

The Wisps leapt from behind Thera's back and bolted for the barely-conscious Bill. They glowed briefly, and Bill's body was wreathed in light as he was lifted from the floor and floated towards the front door. From somewhere behind us there was the shriek of tearing metal as another Humvee was torn apart, followed by a sudden whump of flame as the gas tank went up.

"C'mon! Being out here is bad for our health!" Thera shouted, as we dashed after his Wisps, "Besides, I need to make certain Bill's okay."

"And then what?" I said, "Isn't the Arachnid going to explode?"

"Not if we can stop it! Inky has some thoughts regarding that," Thera said, "You know, in some ways…this isn't such a bad outcome."

"What?"

"Look; the Arachnid wipes out the mercenaries, and then we wipe out the Arachnid! It's kind of like that nursery rhyme."

"That's-" I stopped, and looked at him, "Which nursery rhyme?"

"The one where the old lady swallows a fly, and then swallows a spider, and then the spider kills the fly and everything works out!" He said, "I heard Vi reading it to the kids at the Blip Centre one night."

"That's sweet," I smiled, but then frowned, "Wait! That's not how that nursery rhyme ends! The old lady explodes!"

"She explodes?"

"Yes! She swallows a horse and boom!"

"How does she swallow a horse?" Thera frowned, "Is she part python or something? I think I would've remembered that bit."

"Does that really matter?"

"None of this matters!" Clint said sharply, "Look, nothing about today has gone exactly how we wanted it, but if I'm being honest I'm kind of with Thera. If that damn thing manages to take Blacknest to pieces, then that's a bonus! What we need to do is work out how we're going to finish it off before it goes critical!"

"You're…you're right," I said, and nodded at Thera, "You said you had a plan, right? Do you know how to destroy the Arachnid?"

"I…do," he said, "Well; Inky does. Mostly."

"Mostly?"

"The principle is sound! It just needs…fine tuning."

One of the mercs shouted something, and there was a flash of light and a thunderous detonation.

"Flashbang. Strange choice," Clint said, without looking up. "Look, let's get Bill somewhere safe and then hear what Inky's got to say. That's all we can do."

"Agreed," Thera said, and then he muttered something under his breath, "You'd better be right about that reactor capacity, Clyde. Otherwise this is going to be spectacular."

---

"Critical alert! Risk of resonance increasing! Evacuate area immediately!"

Between Blacknest and the Arachnid, the large entrance doors had been reduced to a mess of webbed glass and twisted metal. They juddered and shuddered at our approach, too broken to open, but with a wrench Clint pulled one open enough to let us into the foyer. Compared to the raging battlefield outside, the large, airy atrium was an oasis of calm, and I wasted no time in ducking into a safe-looking alcove.

"Right there, guys," Thera said, and Pinky and Blinky deposited Bill on a nearby sofa. "Let's take a look at him."

"Is he going to be okay?" I looked over his injuries, and felt sick. After everything that had happened, I simply couldn't face the idea of having to tell Patti and her kids what had happened, "Please tell me he's going to be okay!"

"I can't tell you anything yet!" Thera said curtly. Without breaking stride, he snatched Pinky out of the air and wielded her almost like a flashlight, inspecting one eye, and then the other, "He's taken a solid hit, that's for sure."

"You mean like me? Do you mean that—"

Thera glanced up irritably, "Laura, please!"

"Oh, right. Sorry."

"Critical alert! Risk of resonance increasing! Evacuate area immediately!"

"It's too late to evacuate, Inky!" Thera snapped, "You know that!"

"So what? We're gonna destroy that thing, right—" Clint froze, and then spun around, arrow nocked and bowstring thrumming, "—who's there? Come out with your hands up!"

There was a sharp intake of breath from behind the receptionist desk, and then Keame's hands appeared, followed shortly by his head.

"Don't shoot!" he cried. "I heard fighting, and—"

"—you wanted to see who was winning?" Clint said, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "What the hell's going on with that spider, Keame? You said you shut it down!"

"I…I don't understand! I followed their instructions to the letter! You saw it happen!"

"So what went wrong?"

"I don't know! There must be a reason the instruction isn't getting through…but the only reason that could happen is if the base antenna was broken. That doesn't make any sense, though; Hammer assured me it was all but indestructible!"

Thera inhaled sharply, and when I looked I saw him staring down at Bill with an expression of shocked dismay.

"Modern technology," he said eventually, and coughed, "Can't trust it, right?"

"Right," Clint said, and added quickly, "But you shouldn't be down here, Keame. You've gotta—"

"—Bill!" Keame's gaze alighted on his wounded employee, and with a cry he rushed to his side, "What're you still doing here? What happened to you?"

"Goddess!" Thera muttered, none too quietly, "He can't hear you, Keame! He's only nominally conscious — so if the peanut gallery could stand back and stop crowding me, that would be great!"

"He got jumped by Pexley and his goons on the way out of the refinery," I said quietly. "They were lying in wait."

"Christ! I should've known," Keame looked chagrined. "Will he be okay?"

Thera released Pinky and stood up, placing some distance between himself and Keame, "He'll be fine. Nothing that a bit of bed-rest, some well-earned time off, and a substantial pay rise won't cure, anyway!"

"Really? He's going to be okay?" I said. For some reason I felt strangely conflicted by that news, and found myself having to feign a relieved smile. "But…they beat the crap out of him!"

"Who would've guessed there was an advantage to being part geology, eh?" Thera shrugged, "He got lucky, I guess. It happens."

"What should I do with him?" Keame asked, "If Blacknest finds him like this, they'll execute him for sure!"

"Yeah, you need to get him out of here," Clint agreed, maybe a little faster than was necessary. "Go hide him somewhere safe!"

"By myself?" Keame looked taken aback, "There's no way I could lift him, sir!"

"So go get a cart or something! You must have one, right? Somewhere?"

"There…maybe there'll be a pump truck in the loading bay. If we can get him upstairs, then maybe he'll be safe."

"That's a great idea," Clint said encouragingly, "Get on it!"

"But—"

"He's counting on you, Keame. We all are! Get to it!"

Stung into action, Keame stuttered out a few words of farewell and then beat a hasty retreat past the receptionist desk, deeper into the building. Clint watched him go, and wearily shook his head.

"Had to get rid of him quick," he said. "Takin' down the Arachid's gonna be difficult enough without him sticking his oar in every five minutes."

"Critical alert! Risk of resonance increasing! Immediate action must be taken!"

"No argument here. That guy makes my teeth itch," Thera said. "Okay, Inky, wow us. I know you've been cooking something up."

"Confirmed. The Arachnid is an araneomorphic defensive automaton employed by Keame Refineries for the defence of property and personnel," Inky said. "While its known weapon systems represent only a nominal threat to Empowered, its power system has now entered a pre-resonant state. If this is allowed to proceed unchecked, it will result in an explosion of sufficient magnitude to annihilate everything in a seven-mile radius."

"Yeah, we know that bit," said Clint, "So how do we destroy it?"

"We do not," said Inky. "Or rather, we cannot, until it is defused. If the Arachnid is destroyed in its current condition, all stored energy will be immediately released."

"Kaboom," I said.

"At this range, you will be vaporised before the sound reaches you."

"Lovely. So how do we defuse it, then?"

"Unlike Stark-derived technology, the Arachnid power system consists of a network of eight reactors, all supplied by a central harvesting unit. If this is destroyed, the power draw will be such that even a fully resonant reactor will eventually be drained, at which point the automaton can be safely eliminated."

"I dunno, that all seems pretty simple," Clint began, but Thera held up his hand.

"That's 'cause Inky hasn't used her four favourite words yet," he said. "Wait for it…"

"However, there are complications."

"Right on time," Thera sighed. "Go on."

"Once the Arachnid enters a resonant state, the time until overload will be almost entirely dictated by its power consumption. Accordingly, it must be kept as active as possible."

Clint nodded, "Someone's gotta keep it busy, right? I can do that."

"No, you cannot," Inky said, rather bluntly. "The Arachnid appears specifically designed to engage and rapidly destroy groups of light infantry. While I have not calculated a numerical probability of success, the likelihood of you surviving an engagement with this weapons system is roughly equivalent to the likelihood…" There was a hint of a pause, "...of being struck by lightning, falling off a cliff, being struck an additional six times in free fall, and executing a perfect swan dive into the waiting jaws of a mythical sea monster."

"Like a kraken? They don't exist."

"Neither will you, should you choose to engage the Arachnid directly," Inky observed. "Moreover, it is insufficient to simply engage it. To maximise energy usage, it must be drawn into a sustained, continuous conflict—"

Thera leaned in, "She means me, mate."

Clint gave him a flat look. "You? C'mon; you don't fight!"

"This isn't about fighting; it's about keeping that thing's attention while fending it off as long as possible! It's one step short of an unqualified beating!"

"But—"

"In addition, Blacknest remains a concern," Inky said, overriding Clint, "As long as the mercenaries continue to engage the Arachnid, there is a chance, however small, that they will either damage or destroy it. It must be protected at all costs."

Clint considered this, "You want me to fight Blacknest?"

"You must prevent them from assaulting either Thera or the Arachnid."

"Well…sure," he said, "But this all kinda sounds like we're just fendin' off the inevitable. How're we going to actually break it?"

Inky fell silent.

"Yeah," Thera said, and ran his fingers across his hat. "That's…the difficult part."

"You're doin' that thing with your hat again," Clint said, "What's the matter, buddy?"

Thera looked down at his hands, apparently unable to meet our stares, "Tell 'em, Inky."

"While Clyde has been able to detect the existence of the collection unit, high-altitude scans were unable to resolve its precise location. Moreover, it is likely in close proximity to one or more reactors, meaning that a missed shot will—"

"Kill us all," I concluded.

"Correct."

"So what do we do about it?"

"There are an additional five Arachnids on site, currently dormant in the central nest. A detailed scan will provide the exact location of the harvesting unit. and what steps must be taken to neutralise it."

"But if Thera's fighting the Arachnid, and Clint's fending off Blacknest, then that would mean…" I gasped, and stared down at my phone in shock, "You want me to go, don't you."

"You have performed satisfactorily to date. I believe you are fully capable of undertaking this task."

I gave my phone a rather chilly look, "'Satisfactorily'?"

"That's high praise, coming from Inky," said Thera. "Vi'll be jealous."

"Regardless, our conjoined circumstances mean I am unable to act independently. You must bring me to the Arachnid nest."

"Sure. Sure thing!" I said, and felt a burst of excitement inside. Sure, it wasn't fighting an unstoppable killer spider bot or taking on a mercenary platoon, but at least I would be doing something useful! "Don't worry, Inky; I'll get you there!"

"Hold on, Laura," Thera said, "There's something else."

"What?"

"It is highly likely that we will encounter Blacknest resistance at some point. You are neither equipped nor trained to handle these individuals."

"We'll work something out," I said, "We always do, right?"

"I have already done so. The best chance of your survival is as it was before; I must activate my defensive suite."

"Hold on!" Clint cut in, "That ain't an option! Not if it's as dangerous as you were sayin' earlier!"

"The dangers were overstated."

"What?"

"I determined the optimum solution very rapidly after your request. However, my operator requested that I delay enactment in the hopes that further harm reduction could be achieved. I regret to inform you that it cannot."

"What's she mean, Thera?" I looked at Thera, who remained resolutely fascinated by his fingernails, "Have you been lying this whole time?"

"No!" He said sharply, "Well, not exactly. The neural scarring she was talking about…well, you remember what we were talking about in the car? Losing your sense of hunger, thirst, and tiredness?"

"...yeah?"

He closed his eyes, "If we take those parts of your brain offline, we can…activate the suite."

"But that's good, right?" I said, "Isn't that what you wanted to do?"

"Yes - to extend your lifespan! Not to improve your sodding combat efficiency!" Thera said, "Strange is so close! If we had a bit more time—"

"We do not."

"I know! It's just…there has to be an alternative. Something we're not considering!"

"Like what?" I asked.

"I don't know!" he threw up his hands and sat back, jaw clenched and tears brimming in his eyes, "But there has to be an option that doesn't involve possibly crippling you for life!"

I pursed my lips, "Inky?"

"Present."

"Is there an alternative?"

"Negative. Operative Doe is inbound, but will not arrive in time to gather the necessary intelligence."

"So what'll happen if your defensive suite isn't activated?"

"You would likely be killed in action by Blacknest or the Arachnid."

"Okay…it sounds pretty essential to me, then."

"That is correct."

"You heard her," I looked at Thera, and then at Clint, "You heard her too, right, hon?"

"Yeah, but…" Clint hesitated, "Are you sure about this?"

"Dead sure! Look, you've spent your whole damn career protecting our family! You've thrown yourself into danger time and time again, and you've sacrificed so much! Think of all those missed holidays, birthdays—"

"This ain't the same, hon!"

"So how about the times you got hurt? They had to put your goddamn skin back on, Clint!" I said. "You heard what she said! If I don't do this, then we all go up in a nuclear fireball, and I'm not—" I slammed my hand down on the table, hard, "—going to let that happen! We're going home, Clint, and we're going to get that nice takeout and an expensive bottle of wine and…if that means there's a price to pay, then it's my turn to pay it!"

Clint reached out and took my hand, "I know I ain't changin' your mind. No matter what happens, I'm with you all the way, yeah? I love you."

"I know, hon," I said, and smiled crookedly, "I love you too, and…maybe it won't be so bad, right? I mean, I got used to dying, being resurrected, playing spies, being in crazy fights and even public speaking, so what's one more thing?"

He smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes, "Sure. It'll be…okay."

I took a deep breath, tucked a lock of hair behind an ear, and then speared Thera with a look, "Do it."

Thera swiped at something just above his arm and paused, his finger held in midair, "Are you sure?"

"More than anything. Do it."

I closed my eyes, felt Clint's hand in mine, and tried to quell the dread rising inside me. In a strange way, part of me had known this had been coming for a long time. Almost everyone I knew had sacrificed something; Clint, Nat, Stark, Rogers…they'd all paid a price to make sure other people didn't have to, and now it was my turn. Everyone had their cross to bear, right? Maybe this was mine, and all I could hope was that letting part of my brain die wouldn't hurt too much—

"What're you doing?" Thera asked, and I opened my eyes to see him looking at me, quizzically.

"Um…" I hesitated, "Waiting for you to do your thing?"

"I've done my thing. It's, um…done," he said, "Right, Inky?"

"Instruction confirmed. Reprioritising E.B.I.. Quarantine underway."

"Really?" I blinked, "I was…expecting more, I guess."

Clint looked at me, nervously, "How do you feel, hon? You okay?"

I thought about this for a moment, and shrugged, "I feel…fine, I guess?"

"Good. That's about all we can hope for," Thera suddenly looked downcast, "I'm sorry, Laura. I really hoped this would turn out differently."

"I know," I smiled, and reached out to pat him on the arm. "And you're the last person who should be apologising. You did everything you could."

"Maybe," He said, and stood up abruptly. "Can we go and blow something up? I have a strong urge to go and blow something up—whoa!"

The mystic swayed suddenly, and put a hand to his temple as he steadied himself. A moment later I felt something…indescribable sweep through me, leaving a faint tingling sensation in its wake.

"What was that?" I exclaimed.

"E.B.I. resonance detected," said Inky, "It appears that—"

Suddenly, it felt as if a firework had gone off in my mind. My ears sang and my vision turned grey and fuzzy, almost as if someone had tuned my eyes to the wrong station. The world spun, and as Thera collapsed to the sofa I felt someone reach out to catch me, and then Clint's voice echoed from somewhere far, far away, "Hon? Hon! You okay?"

"E.B.I. resonance detected! Recalibrating."

In a flash the world reasserted itself, and I found myself leaning heavily on Clint's shoulder, his arms wrapped protectively around me.

"Thanks, babe," I said, and forced myself upright with a grunt of exertion, "What the hell was that?"

There was a groan from under the table, and then Thera hauled himself upright. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that was the—"

"Critical alert! Arachnid has now entered a resonant state! Risk of reactor core overload! Immediate action must be taken!"

"—Arachnid going critical."

"Well, we knew it was gonna happen, and we know what we gotta do," Clint said determinedly, as he helped me to my feet, "The only question is, how long do we have to do it?"

"Based upon the estimated capacity of the reactors, their charging rate, and likely energy consumption—"

"Yeah?"

"—you have twenty-seven minutes to avert catastrophe."