Back At The Compound…
Connor was in his lab avoiding having to talk to Morgan about what was happening between them when an alert popped up on his phone.
"Friday?" Connor asked not bothering to look.
"It's Nora's silent panic alarm." Friday said.
"Did Auntie Nora accidentally activate it again? She's really got to change the trigger phrase." Connor said.
"I don't think this is a false alarm. Aiden activated his too." Friday said.
"What?" Connor said dropping his gauntlet and pliers.
"He activated it before her." Friday said.
"Shit." Connor said going to the computer and starting to track their signal. "Their signal's gone. How is their signal gone? It's military grade we can detect it up to 50 feet underground and the satellite range is the entire solar system."
"The signal is being blocked somehow." Friday said.
"Keep trying." Connor said desperately trying to track their phones but with the integrated scrambler he put on them it was impossible. "Okay Friday what's the last known location before the signal went dead?"
"An abandoned shipyard in north Dublin." Friday said.
"Alright just going to bring up satellite and security feeds of the area…" Connor said bringing up multiple screens. "Lot of movement for an abandoned shipyard. And there's Aunt Nora sneaking in… Where's Aiden?"
"His comm signal was coming from inside at the time." Friday answered.
"So infiltration…" Connor said before he saw alarms going off and soldiers rushing in the direction Nora had gone… and then shortly after the ship sailed away with all the soldiers on it before everything cut off.
"Oh fuck." Connor said.
"It appears they are on the move." Friday said.
"Yeah… with no way to track where they went. Okay no need to panic. There's only one thing left to do now." Connor said before taking a breath before running out of the lab. "UNCLES!"
Steve and Bucky where in the gym working out when Connor ran past the gym screaming at the top of his lungs.
"UNCLES!" Connor shouted.
"Was that Connor?" Bucky said.
"Yeah…" Steve said dropping his weights.
"UNCLES!" Connor said running back but this time Bucky stopped him by grabbing his arm.
"Connor. Breathe." Steve said.
"The silent alarm and aunt Nora and Uncle Aiden… and the ship…" Connor started speeding through it leaving Steve and Bucky confused.
"Slow down. What happened with Nora and Aiden?" Bucky said.
"They're missing. I think they've been taken." Connor said. "They both triggered their silent panic alarms and I can't track their signals so I went through local security footage and saw Aunt Nora going in but not out and there was a ship that left and I think they were on it but I don't know where it went."
"Your Aunt and Uncle got taken?" Steve said focusing on that.
"That's what I'm trying to tell you." Connor said.
"Where were they?" Bucky said before they followed Connor back to the lab.
"They were in Dublin. North side, abandoned shipyard." Connor said.
"Aiden said they were tracking a lead on the First Order." Steve said.
"Looks like the first order found them first." Bucky said. "I knew something like this was going to happen."
"Of course it was but we weren't going to talk her out of it." Steve said. "How long ago were the alarms triggered?"
"A little under half an hour ago." Connor said.
"We need to move. They have a head start." Bucky said.
"Friday call everyone in." Steve said. "I have a feeling we're going to need all the help we can get."
A While Later- Nora's POV
"Mhmmm." I groaned as I started to wake up. Being tased sucked. I felt sore. Though that could be less the tasing and more to do that I was tied to a chair with my hands cuffed behind my back with some very heavy and if I had to guess reinforced cuffs.
"Nora?" I heard someone call out from behind me.
"Aiden?" I asked.
"About time." Aiden said.
"What happened?" I said.
"It's pretty obvious what happened." He said struggling a bit.
"Reinforced cuffs." I said.
"Yeah." He said struggling a bit before stopping and taking a breath. "Not only reinforced. Power dampener tech. Shit."
"I think I might have a concussion because it feels like the grounds moving." I said.
"That's what happens when you're on a boat." Aiden said.
"Just making sure I wasn't imagining things. Last time something like this happened It was a cult that was trying to steal a giant emerald." I said.
"And now it's a cult that worships you as their god." Aiden said.
"That's not as reassuring as you think it'd be." I said.
"I'd be worried if you did." He said.
"We were set up." I said.
"Looks like." Aiden said as I heard footsteps from the hallway outside the room we were in getting closer. "Question is who?"
"We're about to find out." I said before the door burst open. Aiden and I both turned to the side to look. There were two armed guards at the door keeping watch and another two were accompanying a tall man dressed in a suit. He was fair skinned, clean shaven, with his blonde hair parted to the side and perfectly styled but what really caught my attention were his eyes. His piercing blue eyes. There was something about them that just seemed so… familiar.
"Leave us." He said the guards hesitated for a second before they left locking the door behind them. The man then walked towards Aiden looking him over for a second. "Looks like those cuffs are working well. The miracle of modern technology. Used to be that we'd have to drug enhanced to the point they couldn't move or their brain was mush to keep then under control."
"Where's the fun in that?" Aiden retorted.
"You'd know all about that." He said before walking in front of me and smirking. "Nora Stark. The Almighty Savior of Worlds, in the flesh. You look incredible for someone who's been dead for almost thirty years. Then again it wouldn't be the first time you cheat death… but oh how the tables have turned."
"Have we met?" I asked confused about why he sounded like he knew me. He didn't seem like your run of the mill fanatic.
"You could say that. I looked a bit different the last time we met and I was the one being held against my will." He said.
"You wouldn't be the first person I locked up." I said.
"But I wasn't just anyone. I'll give you a hint," he said bending down and holding my chin with his thumb and index finger so I was looking at him right in the eyes. "The first time we met I bought you a spectacular set of diamond earrings."
"Diamond earrings…." I said thinking back. Dad and Wren had bought me diamond earrings but I'm sure I'd recognize them anywhere. Then it hit me.
Outrageously expensive huge diamond art deco inspired diamond earrings.
"No…" I said not thinking it was possible but then I looked into his ice blue eyes. Cold calculating.
"Nora?" Aiden asked confused.
"Abernathy?" I said hoping I was wrong.
"Well done." He said clapping sarcastically. "It has been a while."
"That's not possible." I said eying him up and down. Abernathy was an old man. Like old old, locked up in a cell where he was going to spend the rest of his life back in 2016.
"Oh it is." Abernathy said. "Isn't that right Aiden?"
"You're still an asshole." Aiden said.
"This is impossible." I said. "You were…"
"It is very possible and it's all thanks to you." He said booping my nose. "You did a bit of work on me. And by the looks of it, I'm not the only one. I never thought I'd get a second chance to settle the score."
"That's what this is all about? A way to settle the score for a sixty year vendetta that wasn't even yours?" Aiden said.
"No I've moved past Snow's small petty revenge." Abernathy said. "I was never in this for revenge. It was always power for me. Military Power, Political Power, controlling the enhanced… but the one thing I could never beat, the power of faith. I never really understood how people could give something that didn't even exist so much power. That a book written hundreds of years ago by man that is open to so much misinterpretation could be the foundation of society and the basis of what determines what makes a person good or bad. But then came you. The girl that has influenced history behind the scenes as far back as World War II."
Aiden and I snorted.
"You think I influenced history? You're kidding right?" I said.
"Influenced the menu at the PTA bake sale or a five year old to go to bed early but history? That's a stretch." Aiden said.
"I have proof. You can't fool me." Abernathy said. "Nora Stark, Nora Martel, Anna Martel, Spencer Underwood, The Scourge, The Spectre, The Savior of Worlds, all names for the same person, but there's only one name I care about. God. Because that's what you are to millions if not billions of people across the universe. Even dead you hold so much power over everyone. And that's power I'm going to take from you."
"I sincerely doubt that." I said. Even if Aya was here, there's no way he'd get her.
"I don't mean literally. I wouldn't want to become a freak of nature like you two or your brat. Do you know how you truly take power from a god, how to become stronger than a god? You kill them." Abernathy said.
"If it'll get you to shut up, Go ahead." I said bluffing.
"Nora." Aiden said warning me to stop.
"I will. Just not yet. I want the world to see me do it. I'm going to live stream it so it will be recorded in history for the rest of eternity." Abernathy said. "So that when I inevitably do die my name will live on in history. William Abernathy, destroyer of false gods."
"Or they might just call you what you are… a sociopathic Dick." I said. Abernathy chuckled before he slapped me. "Ah…"
"This won't end like it did last time. You don't have the upper hand here and I'm not Snow. I won't lose. You really did pick the best time to pop up again. I thought I was going to have to settle for your son. It would have been satisfying, he looks just like his father but there's nothing like the original." Abernathy said. "And it'll be livestreamed. You have to love technology."
With that he walked towards the door and knocked twice before the guards unlocked it and let him out before locking it again.
Back at the Compound…
Steve and Bucky were pacing around already in their gear getting ready to go. After Connor sounded the alarm the alert had been sent to everyone. Wanda and Vision were already there. Natasha and Clint were calling every contact they had to see if they had heard anything. Rhodey was flying back from Texas as fast as he could and they were waiting for Wren who was in the middle of surgery and had probably not gotten their message.
"Connor did you find anything?" Steve asked.
"Nothing since five minutes ago when you asked." Connor said typing away as fast as he could.
"If anything happens to her…" Bucky said. "This is bad."
"Buck… breathe. It's Nora and Aiden. Even before she had all of her powers she could take care of herself and Aiden's with her." Steve said. "We'll get her back."
"Uncles?" Elle and Morgan said running in.
"What the hell's going on?" Morgan said. "Friday just said to get here ASAP."
"Nora and Aiden have been taken." Steve said.
"Shit." Morgan said.
"Does Wren know?" Ellie asked.
"He's in surgery. We left a message but… he still hasn't gotten it." Steve said.
"He's going to freak." Ellie said.
"Looks like that's going around." Morgan said glancing at Bucky.
"Okay I've got something." Connor said just as Wren teleported in.
"Dads what's going on?" Wren said still dressed in surgical scrubs and his Star R2D2 surgical cap.
"Wren sweetie you might want to sit down." Ellie said.
"Nora and Aiden are missing." Morgan said.
"What?!" Wren shouted.
"Morgan!" Ellie shouted.
"The first 72 hours are critical, that's what all the crime shows say. We don't have time to waste." Morgan said.
"Mom and Uncle Aiden are missing? What the hell happened?" Wren said.
"They went after a lead on the first order. Tracked them down to an abandoned shipyard and they both activated their silent panic alarms before we lost the signal." Steve said.
"And there's no trace of the ship they were on." Bucky said.
"Uh guys…" Connor said sounding a bit frazzled. "I think Friday found something."
"Did you find them?" Bucky said immediately rushing to Connor.
"No but I know who has them." Connor said playing the video on the big screen for everyone to see. It was a dimly lit room with a spotlight on the first order insignia that was printed on a red banner. Then a tall blonde man with blue eyes dressed in a suit walked up to a podium.
Greetings my fellow brothers and sisters,
The day we have long waited for is upon us. Almost 30 years ago we lost out light, the savior of worlds. She died at the hands of the mad titan to bring back everyone we lost. She set the example so that in the dark world we were left to rebuild we were never alone and now in our time of need she has returned.
The room erupted in cheer followed by a photo of Nora just days ago in Dublin.
I have had the honor of talking with her. She gave up everything for us once and she is going to do it again. With her life she shall bless her shining light onto me and she wants the world to see a true example of selflessness, of sacrifice to put us back on the right path, the path that has been lost.
This historic moment will be live streamed on this site. Join us in honoring our glorious savior and giving her one last goodbye.
I shall see you in 15 hours.
With that the signal cut out and was replaced with a countdown.
"Mortals and your stupid god worshipping ideals." Aya said finally showing up. "And you wonder why it took thousands of years before any other world bothered with you all."
"Aya where's mom?" Wren said.
"I can't tell you." Aya said.
"Are you fucking kidding?" Bucky said. "They're going to kill her and record it for everyone to see."
"They're not going to murder Nora or Aiden." Aya said. "You're all going to prevent that from happening."
"We can just tell us where she is?" Steve said,
"You know that's not how this works." Aya said.
"Fine, is there anything you can do?" Wren said a bit more calm and used to dealing with Aya.
"I'd probably start with the car your mom abandoned before meeting up with your uncle." Aya said.
"You want us to return her rental?" Morgan said.
"Uh how you and Nora came from the same sperm donor I will never understand." Aya grumbled.
"You want us to check the trunk of the car." Wren said.
"Yes." Aya said.
"Connor can you retrace Nora's movements?" Steve asked.
"Already did." Connor said bringing up the image so Wren knew where to teleport to.
"Got it." Wren said taking in the image.
"I'll go with you. I can't sit here without doing anything." Bucky said before turning to Wren who wasn't really dressed for a potential gun fight. "Are you going to change?"
Wren looked down at himself and flicked his hands down and instantly changed into a black pair of cargo pants a black long sleeved shirt and a dark navy jacket similar to Bucky's except that on his right sleeve was his mom's insignia of the arc reactor with twelve tick marks around it like a clock and on his left it was the Avenger's A with a red star on one side and the wing of Steve's helmet on the other.
To everyone it seemed like it was instantaneous. In reality he had temporarily stopped time teleported to the locker room, changed teleported back and started time again. He had never learned his mom's magic trick and had to do it like everyone else.
"Ready?" Wren said putting a hand on Bucky's shoulder.
"Do it." Bucky said.
"We'll be back." Wren said before they disappeared and reappeared in Dublin. "Car should be down the block."
"Let's move. We don't know if they still have eyes in the area." Bucky said.
"I don't think Aya would have sent us here without a warning if they did." He said.
"Or it could just be another thing on the list of things she doesn't tell us." Bucky said.
"Dad." Wren said. "Mom's going to be okay. She's a fighter and we know for a fact she makes it back to her time. This is just a bump along the way."
"Do you really believe that?" Bucky said.
"That's what I keep telling myself. Besides Uncle Aiden's with her. You know he'd never let anything happen to her." Wren said as they walked down the street.
"This is the one." Bucky said pointing to the black sedan.
"Should we pop the trunk here or find an alley?" Wren asked before they heard a thudding sound some screaming from inside the trunk.
"Alley." They both said before getting into the car and driving a few blocks before driving into an alley.
Bucky took out his gun ready to shoot in case anything happened. While Wren had an energy orb ready to shoot out in a second.
Bucky nodded to his son before Wren used his powers to pop the trunk open and a man in his early twenties jumped out his hands and legs zip tied together. Bucky reached over and yanked off the duct tape he had over his mouth.
"Thank you than…" The man started before he saw who he was in front of and the gun pointed at him.
"Happy to help, just like you are." Wren said before using his powers to push him into a wall and hold him there. "Where did the boat go?"
"I don't know what…" he started.
"We know who put you in the trunk. We know you guys took her. Where is she?" Bucky said.
"I'm not going to tell you." He said. "We all make sacrifices…"
"Wrong answer." Bucky said. "We're going to give you one last chance to tell us where she is."
"Or what?" he said. "I'm not afraid of you."
"We're not the ones you should be worried about." Wren said making his eyes glow green.
Somewhere in the Ocean or Sea…
"So I'm just going to say it… What the fuck Aiden?" I said.
"Fucking Abernathy." Aiden said.
"Fucking Abernathy?" I said. "I'm dead but he's still around? And with like the best facelift in history. He was like a hundred last time I saw him. How'd that happen?"
"Well Nora, someone had the bright idea to give Abernathy a chance of redemption. A second chance." Aiden said sarcastically.
"Who would be so…" I started before it hit me. "Oh no…"
"Oh yes." Aiden said.
"And you actually let me?" I said.
"I didn't get a chance to argue against the decision." Aiden said.
"I'll add this to the list of things I need to work on when I get back." I said.
"You do that." Aiden said. "In the meantime we need to come up with a plan before he gets impatient and decides to just finish you off without the theatrics."
"People just love to livestream everything." I said as Aiden started struggling against his restraints. "Even if we do get out of these cuffs, we're still on a boat in the middle of the ocean."
"We're still on a boat but I don't think we're in the middle of the ocean anymore." Aiden said gesturing out the window where there were seagulls flying outside. Which meant land.
"We're either at our destination or we're not going on boat the rest of the way." I said. Just as a whole squad of guards stormed in.
"Time to move." One of them said before they put sacks over each of their heads so they couldn't see.
"One." Aiden said.
"Two." I seconded understanding what he getting at.
"Shut up." One of them said before I slammed my foot on one of them as Aiden tackled one of them against the door. I wrapped kneed on of the guards in the groin or gut making him bend over and threw him down before looping my arms under my legs so my arms were in front of me before I yanked off the sack over my head. While Aiden struggled with two guards. I grabbed the gun off the guard and shot them both
"Hands." I told Aiden and he held them as back as I could before I shot them disabling the power suppression. He slipped out of them before shooting mine and getting them off.
"Nora, you need to get as far away from here as you can. Don't look back." He said.
"I'm not leaving you. We're both getting out of here." I said.
"I'm not the one they want to sacrifice." Aiden said.
"And you think Abernathy isn't going to kill you?" I said.
"I'm not even sure I can die." Aiden said.
"You really want to find out today?" I said before there was a lock clank and smoke started coming out of the vents.
"Shit." We both said and I started feeling light headed before we both crashed onto the ground.
Back at the Compound…
Wren and Bucky teleported back to the compound with their new 'friend'
"Anything?" Steve said.
"Nora left this guy locked in a trunk." Bucky said throwing him into a chair. The guy looked traumatized and jumped at any slight movement.
"What's wrong with him?" Morgan asked.
"Aya had a go at him." Wren said as he hugged Elle. "But he didn't say anything. Started speaking Latin instead."
"Guess I'm right on time." Wanda said walking in with Vision.
"Auntie Wanda!" Morgan said going to hug one of her favorite aunts.
"Hi." She said hugging her. "This the guy?"
"Yup." Connor said.
"We'll go get him settled in the other room." Vision said. "This might take a few minutes."
"We're on a bit of a time crunch." Elle said.
"I know." Wanda said following her husband out of the common room.
"Connor do you have anything?" Steve asked.
"I'm trying to trace the signal of the First order broadcast but it's scrambled and then they bounced it around a few continents." Connor said.
"Hey everyone." Sam said coming in. "Anything?"
"Nothing." Everyone said.
"Shit." Sam said. "Well I'm not super powered or anything but we all still have to eat so, I brought…a bit of everything."
"Thanks daddy." Ellie said.
"Thanks Uncle Sam." Wren said before there was a bright flash of light.
"What now?" Wren said forming another energy orb at the same time Connor quickly activated his wrist gauntlet, Steve grabbed his Shield and Bucky grabbed a gun.
"Wait!" Aya said appearing in front of them and signaling them to stop.
The light dimmed down and a very familiar red headed man stood there swaying a bit. And there was another Aya standing next to him.
"Uh…" Wren said blinking a few times. "I think I'm going to be sick…"
Aya quickly flung a trash can at other Aya who caught it and held it in front of Wren who immediately puked into it.
"Uh… no no…" Morgan said turning around. "I don't do puke."
"That doesn't get any better." Wren said spitting into the waste bin.
"Wren?" Sam said staring at him in shock. Wren looked over and saw everyone just staring in shock before they turned to the two Ayas.
"Is this…" Wren asked them.
"Right on time." One of them said with a smile. "It's good to see you old friend."
"Hey." Wren said looking at everyone.
"Hey." Sam said.
"Sam?" Wren said.
"Yeah." Sam said as the two of them hugged.
"You got old." Wren said.
"A couple of decades will do that to you." Sam said as Connor walked up behind his dad.
"Then that makes you Connor." Wren said tearing up.
"Uncle Wren." Connor said tearing up as his uncle hugged him.
"You got so tall." Wren said putting his hands on his nephew's shoulders who was now taller than him.
"I ate my veggies." Connor said making Wren laugh.
"Wren." Ellie whispered to Wren. "Go."
"I…." Wren started still in shock. "uh…"
"Wren." Steve said putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "It's okay."
Bucky just gave him a small smile and nodded.
"Together." Ellie said giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. Wren nodded and slowly they walked closer to where Wren was still looking over Sam and Connor.
Wren and Ellie stood behind him for a minute still not sure what to say.
"Wren." Aya said getting his attention and his eyes landed on Wren.
"You." Wren (Sr.) Said as he recognized his son as he started tearing up. "You were at the bar in Germany."
"Hi Dad." Wren said tearing up.
"Hi." Wren (Sr.) Said going for a hug but hesitating not sure if his son would be okay with that considering he had missed his entire life.
Wren went forward and hugged his dad. Wren (Sr.) returned the hug and held him tight.
"I held you in my arms half an hour ago." Wren (Sr,) said chuckling as he cried. "And ten minutes ago you were playing soccer with your friends in that lawn. And now… you're a grown man… with a girlfriend."
"Fiance." Wren and Ellie corrected as Ellie held out her hand so he could see the ring.
"And It's nice to meet you… or see you again Uncle Wren." Ellie said. Wren looked at her.
"Ellie." Wren (Sr.) said recognizing her almost immediately before hugging her. "You look just like your mom."
"Aunt Nora said the exact same thing when she saw me." Ellie said.
"Is she…" Wren (Sr.) said looking around and not seeing her.
"No she's…." Wren said not knowing how to break the news to his dad.
"She was taken." Steve said. "She and Aiden are missing."
"She's never been able to stay out of trouble." Wren (sr.) said.
"More like trouble always finds her." Bucky said.
"Any leads?" Wren (sr.) Said.
"We know who took her we're just trying to find out where they took her." Connor said as they heard screams from the next room.
"Wanda's interrogating someone." Steve said.
"Uh she's the eastern European… this tall… red glow powers?" Wren (Sr.) asked.
"That's her." Sam said just as Wanda walked in and did a double take at the two Wren's.
"Time travel?" Wanda asked.
"Time travel." Morgan confirmed.
"Did you get anything?" Steve asked.
"He doesn't know where they're going. They only told him they were going to do it where Nora's story started." Wanda said.
"Switzerland." Wren (Sr.) and the two Ayas said at the same time.
"Switzerland?" Connor asked.
"Specifically Geneva. The Hadron Supercollider." Wren (Sr) said and everyone just stared at him. "That's where she had her first Time Jump. Ended up 1943 Azzano, captured by Hydra… you know the rest."
"That place has been closed off for years. Ever since they figured out heavy ion fusion, and space travel and alien tech became accessible supercolliders were basically obsolete." Connor said.
"Did they tear it down?" Bucky asked.
"No… they remodeled and turned it into a water park." Connor said. "It's closed down until the summer."
"That's the place." Steve said. "Alright everyone gear up. We're flying out in ten minutes."
"I can just teleport us there." Wren said.
"We might need medical evac." Bucky said.
"And you're the doctor." Connor said.
"You're a doctor?" Wren asked his son.
"Trauma and cardio surgeon." He answered.
"Trauma and cardio…" Wren said smiling proudly.
"Where can I get a gun?" Wren Sr asked.
"You're not going." Steve said.
"It's my wife and brother. I'm going." Wren Sr. said.
"Wren you're not exactly in the best shape." Sam said.
"I can handle it." Wren (Sr.) said. "I can still teleport and I'm a doctor. You can never have too many of those."
"He can go." One of the Ayas said. "I'll stay with him."
"Alright. Everyone gear up." Steve said. "We don't have time to waste."
Back in 2016…
Aiden was panting frustrated that nothing he had tried was working to break Abernathy.
"Your bark has always been worse than your bite." Abernathy said.
Aiden quickly shifted his hand into a sharp blade and swung it towards him but stopped an inch before he touched Abernathy's throat.
Abernathy laughed. "You're so weak."
"No I'm just not going to give you the satisfaction." Aiden said shifting his hand back to normal.
"Then you should send Nora back in here. She's not as predictable." Abernathy said.
"I wouldn't be rushing to see her again if I were you." Aiden said.
"No I want to see her face when I walk out of here." Abernathy said.
"You're delusional." He said.
"No you're too shortsighted. I'm going to walk out of here, just you wait." Abernathy said.
"Keep dreaming old man." Aiden said wiping his hands before walking out of the room as Abernathy chuckled while looking down at the ring in his hand Aiden was unaware had a tracker in it.
Aiden walked back to the common room. Steve was still holding a sleeping Wren watching him like he was the most precious thing that ever existed.
"You know you can put him down right?" Aiden said.
"It's okay. He's really comfortable. Helps distract me too." Steve said.
"Hey I got your message." Sam said rushing in with the kids. "Got here as soon as I could. What's going on?"
"Aya lost Nora, went back in time with a copy of Pietro to get Wren brought him here, got a message from Nora in the future and Wren and Aya went to get her." Aiden said.
"Aya lost Nora? How? she lives in her." Sam said.
"That's what I said." Tony said.
"Doesn't really matter Wren went to go get her." Aiden said.
"Wren? As in…" Sam said.
"Uncle Wren?!" Connor said and baby Wren started fussing. "Uncle Wren's here?"
"Sh sh sh, it's okay buddy." Steve said gently rocking the baby so he wouldn't wake up.
"Uh I feel like there's a story there." Sam said.
"You missed a few things." Bucky said still pacing.
"How's the interrogation going?" Natasha asked.
"Abernathy's convinced he's going to get out." Aiden said.
"Did he say anything?" She asked.
"Nothing we didn't already know." Aiden said frustrated.
"Boss." Friday said. "Three unidentified aircrafts are approaching the compound."
"Unidentified?" Tony said taking his phone. "Choppers. Fully armed and judging by their heat signatures fully loaded."
"Did you check Abernathy for a tracker?" Bucky asked.
"We did nothing came up." Aiden said.
"A Hidden tracker with a low frequency wouldn't have been picked by any receiver." Tony said as the first missile hit the far side of the compound.
"Daddy." Connor said.
"Hey it's okay." Sam said hugging his son.
"Sam take the kids." Steve said handing him Wren. "Friday lead them to the closest panic room and lock them in."
"I designed them myself they won't get in easily but in case they do." Tony said taking out a small flash grenade and kneeling next to Connor. "Hey kid. Remember this?"
"Mhmm." Connor nodded as he tried not to tear up.
"You're not going to need this but just in case you know what to do right?" Tony said.
"Point at the bad guys and press the button?" Connor said.
"That's right." Tony said.
"Tony." Sam said not happy someone was giving his son a weapon.
"It's just a sparkler with a kick. Just for emergencies." Tony said. "Ready to be a hero?"
"I can do it." Connor said nodding.
"I know you can." Tony said ruffling his hair. "Go, we'll handle it."
With that Sam took the kids to the closest panic room and barricaded himself inside with the kids.
"Armory." Natasha told everyone before they ran to go get their weapons.
Nora's POV-
By the time we came to, we were strapped down, to metal reinforced chairs. Aiden and I were allowed to face each other this time. He was wide awake by the time I woke up.
"We're not on the boat anymore." I said looking around.
"We're not." Aiden said giving me a look.
"You're giving me the look." I said.
"What look would that be Nora?" Aiden said.
"You're mad." I said.
"No shit. I told you to run." He said.
"I'm not going to leave you behind and you knew when you asked me to I wasn't so it can't be that big of a surprise." I said.
"Yeah well now we're both here. There's no way for them to find us and Abernathy's going to livestream to the entire world the moment he kills you." Aiden said.
"I didn't think his ego could get any bigger." I said.
"His ego and insanity." Aiden said. "I never thought I'd die in a water park in Geneva. I always thought I'd get shot, stabbed and then decapitated when that didn't work. My body cut up in bits and dumped in the ocean never to be found"
"We're at a water park?" I said.
"Yeah, it was after the… uh they turned the Hadron Supercollider into a water park." Aiden said.
"Seriously?" I said. "Never would have seen that coming. Abernathy has a really twist sense of humor, that or I've officially come full circle."
"What are you talking about?" Aiden said.
"This is where it all started." I said. "This is where my first time jump happened. A malfunction during a super collider gave Aya the opening she needed to get in me and zap me through time. Did I never tell you this?"
"We were in the middle of a thing, you gave me the short version." Aiden said struggling against his restraints. "We're not getting out of these."
"No we're not." I said. "Guess I don't have to worry about screwing up the time line when I get back."
"You're not dying." Aiden said. "Aya will take you back home. She'll turn back time and bring you back from the dead if she has to."
"Well it wouldn't be the first time." I said biting my lip. "It hurts."
"What? Dying?" Aiden asked.
"No coming back." I said.
"What do you mean?" Aiden said.
"It's hard to describe. You feel everything start to slip away. Everything goes dark and cold. And it feels like you're being pulled in all directions and then you're just at peace. It's warm. And it's the happiest you've ever been but just as you start to let yourself bask in it something snaps you back but not completely. It feels like a part of you gets stuck there and when you get pulled back it gets ripped from you. I didn't notice it the first couple of times but it feels like I didn't completely come back. Like something inside is missing." I said finally saying it out loud from the first time ever.
"You haven't had it easy." Aiden said.
"I don't think anyone has." I said.
"Well at least I go out in good company." Aiden said.
"The company's even better on the other side." I said. "Wren, Jess… me"
"I don't think that's where I'm going." He said. "I've done things… hurt people.. been a bit of a prick. I'm not religious but I know I'm not going to end up with the rest of you."
"You're going to end up there. I've been around a lot longer and have done way worse not because I was brainwashed into doing it but because I chose to. You've done so much good and everything you've done since you snapped out of it has been to keep the rest of us safe. You're a good man Aiden." I said.
"You sure cuz that's not what you said about that thing with the yoga instructor on the fourth floor…" He said.
"I said you were a good man not a saint." I said making him laugh before the guards came in.
"Time to go oh holy one." One of them snarked. "We need to get you ready for the show."
"Let her go." Aiden said.
"Huh or what?" The guard laughed.
"Aiden, don't. it's okay." I said.
"Nora." He said.
"I'll see you on the other side brother." I said as they dragged me out.
"Nora!" he shouted after me. The door closed and that was it. I was dragged to a room before they put a metal collar and muzzle on me. They shoved me into a room where a bunch of women in robes roughly washed me from head to tow. I tried to fight back but that's when I found out that my power dampening collar was also a shock collar.
Once they dried me off and put me in a white Grecian style dress, pulled and curled my hair before putting my hair up in an intricate half up half down style.
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Once they were done they put me back in the chair and dragged me back to the main 'stage'.
"My my, now you look like a goddess." Abernathy said clapping.
"I hope 2016 Aiden made it hurt." I snarled.
"Oh he's not going to hurt anyone ever again." Abernathy said as the guards started attaching chains and cords around me. "Take her up. It's almost show time."
Third Person's POV-
Everyone was up in the jet suiting up and getting ready Wren (Sr.) and Wren were sitting next to each other while Steve and Bucky stood at the far side of the jet just looking at them.
"I've always known they looked alike but seeing them right next to each other…" Bucky said.
"I know." Steve said.
"We're two minutes to the drop point." Connor said. "I'm setting up the jet to hover right above us until it's safe to land."
"Reinforcements?" Bucky said.
"On the ground now." Morgan said over comms. "Thor's ready to kick the door down. Natasha and Clint are on the east side of the building and Wanda said she's found Aiden. She's ready to grab him when you say the word."
"Is he okay?" Wren asked.
"Your uncle's tougher than he looks." Wren Sr. said. "Besides Abernathy won't kill him, not right away anyway. He likes playing mind games."
"Alright. Our main priority is getting Nora and Aiden out. Wren." Steve said and both Wren's looked at him.
"Doc… uh…" Steve said.
"He means us." 2016 Aya said.
"Aya needs to get back in Nora." Steve said. "That's your priority. Get in, get her and get out."
"You know Nora's not just going to walk away right?" Wren said.
"She won't have to." Aya said.
"What about Abernathy? We can't just let him get away." Connor said.
"He won't" Wren said making his eyes glow. "We've got all the exits covered. One way or another he's going down."
"Alright. We all have our jobs. Connor tell us when we're in position." Steve said.
"We're just about there." Connor said. "Who am I carrying down?"
"No one. Dads" Wren said and all three looked at him. "Uh I just thought since you can…"
"Yeah no… I'll teleport us. It feels weird when someone else does it." Wren Sr said gesturing to Aya.
"I thought I was the only one who felt that." Wren said.
"Oh no, when your mom was learning how to teleport I would get really bad vertigo or just felt sick…" Wren Sr said.
"And your ears start ringing or pop." Wren said.
"It's the worst." Wren Sr said.
"Ehem." Bucky said.
"Oh right." Wren said putting a hand on his dads shoulders before teleporting down before Wren did the same with Aya, teleporting them down to the building.
"Everyone's in position." Connor called out through the comms.
"On my signal. Now" Steve said before nodding at Wren who blasted the door open and they ran in.
Nora's POV-
I was suspended up in the air, bound to that chair with no hope of escaping on my own. By the looks of things they were planning on letting me drown. The chair somehow was powered by a miniature arc reactor which meant it was self sustaining and could run probably forever.
Abernathy's insane idea was to let the see me drown, I wouldn't be able to come back because of the power dampening tech. so here I was dangled up in the air just waiting for him to finish his monologue before plummeting to my death.
"My brothers and sisters the day we have long awaited for is here. Almost thirty years ago the savior of worlds gave her life to save us all from the mad titan. Her sacrifice united not just our world but all worlds. But the world has changed and people have forgotten what it took to get to this point. We've lost our way." He said. "but not our light. It was once said that when the world needed her most she would return and today is finally that day. She has returned."
Then a bunch of spotlights landed on me up in the air. I really hope this dress wasn't see through.
"I have spoken to her. I have asked her for guidance and as she did once she will do again. Her greatest gift will be her last because she believes we all deserve a second chance." Abernathy said. "She is willingly sacrificing herself again but we must honor her sacrifice and repent. For we will not get this chance again. Now let us send our savior off with one last prayer…"
"A willing sacrifice implies I actually this to happen. I thought the cuffs would be a dead giveaway." I called out but no one listen. "You're all being brainwashed by a sociopath. If you want my guidance it'd be to stop listening to him."
"Oh glorious one…" Abernathy started just an explosion shook the building and I smiled.
"Great timing as always." I said relieved.
Third Person's POV-
Aiden was struggling against his restraints the explosions were close and he could hear screams from the grunts fighting back. Idiots. Suddenly the door blew open and in walked Natasha and Clint.
"What are you doing just sitting down? Age finally catching up to you?" Clint snarked.
"Have you looked in the mirror recently?" Aiden said before Natasha shot a widow bite and shorted out the chair letting Aiden use his powers to break free.
"Thought you two were retired?" Aiden said.
"And let you guys have all the fun." Natasha said.
"We need to find Nora. Abernathy's…" he started.
"Don't worry. Wren's got her." Clint said.
"My nephew's here? That's good. We could use the muscle." Aiden said taking a gun from Natasha.
"Well he is here but we weren't talking about him." Natasha said with a smirk.
Thor and Hulk as well as the rest of the Asgardian forces stormed the building apprehending everyone.
As Wren (Sr) and Aya made their way to the main room to Nora, Steve Bucky and Wren stayed behind keeping the rest of the forces back.
"Go we can hold them off." Wren said throwing another energy orb.
"Wren…" he started concerned about his son.
"It's not the first time he does this he can handle it." Steve said.
"Go get our girl." Bucky said.
"Aya. Which way?" wren said.
"Left." Aya said teleporting forward only stopping to knock out goons as Wren teleported after her.
Nora's POV-
"Stop them, don't let them interfere." Abernathy shouted.
"Sir they have us surrounded." One of the goons said.
"Then fight back." Abernathy said grabbing his cane and pulling out a sheathed sword. "Well Nora looks like it time for us to end this once and for all."
"You really think its going to end with me?" I said. "Look around you. You built a cult in my honor. I've been gone for over thirty years but I can bet you whatever you want that in those thirty years there hasn't been a single day you haven't thought of me. That I don't haunt you constantly."
"Today one god dies and another one is born." Abernathy said before cutting through the rope and letting me fall into the water.
Third Person's POV-
Just as the rope snapped and Nora fell someone threw a knife at Abernathy's hand and made him drop the blade.
"How the bloody hell am I dead while you're still running around getting facelifts?" Wren Sr said.
"You?" Abernathy said.
"Me." Wren said before Aya blasted Abernathy into a wall knocking him out.
"I got him get Nora!" Aya shouted Wren turned just as she fell into the water Wren jumped into the pool and teleported in front of Nora.
Nora's POV-
I was in the air when suddenly I was dropped hard. I didn't have time to hold my breath before I was sinking to the bottom of the pool. The chair was a lot heavier so when I fell I fell back first. The water filling my nostrils burned and the chlorine made my eyes sting.
I was struggling against the chair trying to find a way out. I wasn't going to last long and the more I struggled the more I felt the lack of oxygen.
I looked up at the lights reflecting against the water. Taking in what would be the last thing I saw when suddenly in front of me was a very familiar face I hadn't seen in a really long time. I guess it happened a lot faster than I thought it would.
"Wren?" I tried to say but instead I started choking on water.
Wren put his hand on my shoulder and kissed me before teleporting me out of the chair and to the surface of the pool. I started coughing as I breathed in deeply.
"Take it slow, you're okay." Wren said holding me up while he held onto the edge of the pool.
"You…" I coughed. "You're here."
"I…" he started.
"Are you going to stay there or are you going to do something?" Aya said standing in front of us looking down at me before offering me her hand.
"About fucking time." I said taking her hand and letting her pull me out before I felt her power surge through me just like the first time all those years ago. I was cold and my clothes dry off and my hair returned to my natural brown hair color.
I saw a group of guard run toward us and I quickly formed an energy orb and blasted them with it.
"I missed that." I said before looking at Wren. "Be back in a sec I gotta…"
"Go be you." Wren said smiling at me before I paused time and I teleported around the compound knocking out out every single Lianist/ First Order goon in the facility. I teleported into a hallway taking out 15 goons Wanda and Vision were fighting in the blink of an eye before teleporting to where Aiden, Natasha and Clint were fighting a squad. I cleared the area before knocking out all the goons Thor, Hulk and the rest of the Asgardian forces were fighting before finishing off the squad that were circling Bucky, Steve and Wren.
Wren was unaffected by the temporal field and when he saw me he gave me a relieved smile.
"Powers are back?" he said.
"Yeah." I said pushing one goon in the way of another that was about to tackle Steve. "That's the last of them. There's only one thing left to do."
With that I teleported back to the pool and restarted time. I helped Wren out of the pool.
"All done?" he asked.
"Almost." I said looking to where Abernathy was just starting to wake up.
"Right." Wren said. "Should I ask?"
"Uh… probably better if you don't." I said.
"So you don't know either?" He said.
"The details are a bit fuzzy but I have a hunch." I said.
"Well your hunches are usually right." Wren said taking my hand. "And if they're not I know you'll figure it out."
"You have no idea how much I've missed you." I said.
"I know." He said giving me a sad smile.
"Do you want to…" I said gesturing to Abernathy.
"I promised my wife I was done with all that and I'm keeping that promise." Wren said. "Whatever you need to do is the right thing."
"No…" Abernathy said as he started standing before I pinned him to the wall with my powers.
"So here we are again." I said.
"Here we are." He said smiling before he started laughing.
"What's so funny?" I asked.
"You really think I'm scared of you?" Abernathy said. "I know you're not going to kill me. You're too weak."
"Showing mercy is a sign a strength but that's not going to work with you." I said. "I'd like to think that everyone's worthy of a second chance but that's not entirely true. You're probably the worst person I've ever met and I've been tortured by Nazis."
"Nora!" Steve called out.
"Mom! Dad!" Wren said.
"You were an old man when I met you and I offered you a second chance at life to do some good in the world but you haven't learned. You've lived a really long life and as someone who's been around a lot longer than she should have, who's had to lose a lot of people she cared about I know how that can weigh on a person, what a curse it could be so I'm not going to kill you Abernathy." I said cupping his cheek and putting a hand on his shoulder before I took a breath. "I'm just going to take it all back."
With that my took a breath and my hands started glowing as I focused on the temporal energy around him. I could sense the disrupting in time that made him the way he was. He became younger because I moved time back through him so now I just did the opposite. I fast forwarded time through him. He started rapidly aging going from a thirty year old man to middle aged to elderly.
"No please…" he struggled against me but my grip was tight and he slowly grew weaker and weaker until there was nothing left of him but dust.
I rubbed my hands together to get some of the dust that had gotten on my hands.
"That's better." I said turning around to everyone who just stared at me in shock. "Everyone okay?"
"Yeah… is he…" Bucky asked.
"He's gone. For good this time." I said.
"It's over." Wren asked his mom.
"There might be a few small factions of the first order out there somewhere but without their leader they shouldn't be too hard to track down and take care of." I said as Aiden ran in.
"Nora!" Aiden said. "Are… Wren?"
"Aiden." Wren said with a smirk. "He's…"
"Time travel." I said.
"Good to know you're still around." Wren said.
"Someone's got to keep this one out of trouble." Aiden said.
"Yeah… she's a handful." Wren said giving me a side hug and kissing the top of my head.
"So anyone else hungry? I'm kind of in the mood for Chinese." I said. "I can pass by that noodle place in Hong Kong…"
"Well backups already taking care of clean up and it might be a good idea for you two to get out of here before the press gets here?" Wren said.
"Connor's already wiping all traces of you off the web but either way…" Steve said.
"Better safe than sorry." I said. "See you back at the compound?"
"We'll be there in a few hours." Bucky said. "It'll give you four time to catch up."
"I can help." Wren said.
"It's okay son. Go spend time with your Mom and Dad." Steve said giving him a knowing look.
"Okay I'll just teleport us…" I started.
"Meet you there." The Wrens said before teleporting away.
"What was that about?" I said looking at Aiden confused and he just shrugged.
"Let's just go home." Aiden said putting a hand on my shoulder before I teleported us to the compound.