Chapter 19: Saving the Ship
Disclaimer: I have no rights to the beauty that is Marvel
Secondary Warning: Well would you look at that, I'm continuing my writing. Here is where I actually start to change events. Well at least switching around their order so they work with my plot points.
Steve, Tony, and I get thrown back towards the door. Those two manage to fall semi gracefully while I hit the back of my head on something. Fricking OW. I feel the rush of warm blood spilling from the wound before the skin quickly fuses back together stopping the blood flow. Great healing sure does come in handy when you're a klutz like me. Shame it does nothing to stifle the pain.
"Put on the suit," I hear Steve tell Tony to my right. At least this time he says it with good intentions.
"Yeah," responds Tony as we all scramble to our feet and run out of the room.
"Hill!" I hear Fury call over the com system as we rush to the loading bay that holds Tony's suit.
"External detonation," she quickly replies. "Number three engine is down. Can they get it running? Talk to me."
"Turbine looks mostly intact," I hear another agent answer her, "but it's impossible to get out there to make repairs while we're in the air."
"If we lose one more engine we won't be," Hill laments.
"Somebody's got to get outside and patch that engine," she says back to Fury in summation.
"Stark, you copy that?" Fury requests.
"I'm on it," Tony replies both over the mike and in front of me. Hearing it double causes a slightly jarring moment as my head is still slightly reeling from the impact it took. I just try to take deep breaths as we continue to turn corner after corner.
"Coulson, initiate defensive lock down in the detention section then get to the armory," Fury continues issuing orders. "Romanoff?"
"We're okay," answers her voice through the earpiece. She sounds vaguely out of breath and possibly in pain. What happened to her? Then we turn another corner and finally get to the bay with Tony's suit.
"Engine three." he tells us. "I'll meet you guys there."
Steve and I quickly take off again. Dodging people who are also all scurrying around. I feel like one of those lab mice stuck in the maze, but instead of cheese I'm looking for what I can only assume will be danger.
We get there and hear the agents on the other side of the door so we know we're in the right place at least. The door won't open so Steve uses dem super muscles he got to open it. We rush in while the few agents there help out an injured engineer. The sound of wind rushing past fills my ears. It's cold out here too. I did not come dressed prepared. I would have made a horrible boy scout this unprepared.
"Stark!" calls Steve as we get to the edge of the ripped apart turbine. Man this thing really took exploding seriously. "Stark, we're here!"
"Good," answers Stark as he flies into view. "Let's see what we've got."
"I got to get this superconducting coolant system back online before I can access the rotors, work on dislodging the debris," Tony then mutters to himself while looking into some of the wiring or whatever. Wow, Steve and I are going to be completely useless here. "I need you two to get to that engine control panel and tell me which relays are in overload position," he looks over to readdress us.
Did I mention there is a huge gap between us and that control panel. Steve effortlessly jumps up, grabs a bar, and then swings his way up onto the right platform. Oh, yay, parkour. Hardcore parkour with a chance of death if failed. I sigh before following his lead and doing the same. I somehow make it like the lucky duck I am. I pull myself up while Steve pulls out the control panel.
"What does it look like in there?" asks Tony.
"It seems to run on some sort of electricity," is Steve's only available answer. Despite the serious situation I can't help but snort at such a reply. So what if I have nothing better to add? Just nobody look at me.
"Well, you're not wrong," Tony replies with a hint of exasperation.
Stark manages to talk us through it with me being the main one to understand literally anything he says. I ask him to send me some basic mechanic books after all this is done.
"Okay the relays are intact," Steve tells Tony when we're done. "What's our next move?"
"Even if I clear the rotors, this thing won't re-engage without a jump," Tony says as he assess the damage some more. "I'm going to have to get in there and push."
"Hey now, Tony, how about we don't do that. It's dangerous," I quickly warn him.
"Well, if that thing gets up to speed, you'll be shredded," Steve realizes. Sure now you care. You two are weird.
"That stator control unit can reverse the polarity long enough to disengage maglev and that could…," Stark tries to reassure us, but to us he's speaking gibberish.
"Speak English," cuts in Steve in a great old guy done voice.
"You see that red level?" Tony tries again. "It will slow the rotors down long enough for me to get out. Stand by it and wait for my word."
Again the thing is separated from us by chasm of certain death. More parkour? Steve takes a step back then just leaps across the thing like it's nothing.
"Yeah, Steve, I don't think I can do that. My legs are a lot shorter than yours," I call to him while staring at the gap of nothing between us.
"Just jump. I'll catch you," he promises from the other side.
"Dude, that is so cliche. Which movie did you steal that from?," I retort, stalling. It just earns me a great "done" bitch face. "Fine," I sigh melodramatically. "If you drop me you can have all my stuff, okay?"
"Eve, come on, just jump," he rolls his eyes.
So I jump. And yeah, I wouldn't have made it if he hadn't grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the grated walkway. Again, I freaking called it.
"Hey," Steve quietly exclaims as he sets me on my feet, "you're bleeding."
"What now?" I groan as I glance down and check for more injuries. Then I feel his hand gently prodding at the back of my head looking for the wound. "Oh, that," I mock wince. "I got that when the floor exploded. No worries, it's already closed up and healed," I promise as I brush his hand away. He gives me a still worried look and is about to say something when we here movement down the hallway.
Then two guys in full S.H.I.E.L.D. gear walk out. Why are they here? Steve and I share a quick look of apprehension. Then one pulls a grenade and tosses it at all our hard work. Steve quickly pulls off his great leap again to knock the grenade away. He then pivots and jumps down onto their level and engages them. He kicks the gun out of the one guy's hand and it lands in front of me. I quickly grab it and train it on the entrance in case the some other guy makes a run for Cap while Steve throws the guy off the ship and knocks out the remaining dude.
Then someone starts firing from down the hallway at Steve. Steve throws a hunk of metal at him and I lay down some cover fire so Steve can pull himself back up here. I glance around for cover, but there really isn't any to speak of. I toss the gun to Steve when he makes it back up here. The guy in the hall has plenty of cover so he starts firing back. Steve and he exchange bullet with neither of them standing much chance of hitting each other while I pull out one of my own handguns, I make my way to the corner of the platform right above the end of the hallway. Steve makes his way back towards the lever just incase Tony signals us. Then the ship just shifts suddenly. I tune back into the main com station to try to find out what's going on.
"It's Barton," is the first thing I hear as Fury explains. "He took out our systems. He's headed for the detention level. Does anybody copy?" I throw a quick look at Steve. I can't. We're pinned down. Dammit!
"This is Agent Romanoff," answers a shaky voice. "I copy." Oh thank goodness, it's Natasha. At least she won't shoot on sight. She'll take care of it.
"Stark, we're losing altitude," Fury addresses our team.
"Yeah, I noticed," Tony says in a way that reminds me of the "You don't say" meme.
Steve and the guy continue firing at one another while I wait for him to come close enough that I can swing down and hit him unaware. But then, the guy fires to close to Steve forcing him to step back only for a loose piece of metal to move causing him to fall.
"Steve!" I scream as he manages to grab a wire.
"Cap, hit the lever!" signals Tony from inside the turbines.
"I need a minute here," shouts Steve from where he's clinging to and climbing up the wire.
"Lever!" calls Tony again. "Now!"
I run over and try to pull the lever while Steve grabs onto the grate, but the guys fire is right at me keeping my from the lever. I get down on one knee and offer one hand to him while firing at the hostile to keep him at bay. He keeps firing at us though, pinning us to the ground.
"Uh-oh," I hear Tony gasp over the com. "HELP!"
Steve quickly reaches up and pulls the lever while I keep the dude's attention. Bullets are coming dangerously close to each of us as we inch away from the edge. Then Tony gets free and comes to help us. He flies into the hallway and tackles the guy. Steve and I take a second to catch our breath before making our way down to him.
"The cage has been opened," I hear faintly over the com as we approach Stark. My head snaps up. Wait, Loki's free? Did Natasha not stop Clint? How? I take off as fast as super humanly possible for the detention center.
"Eve!" I hear Steve call out behind me. Sorry Stevie, I'll be right back I promise.
"I'm on my way there," answer Coulson. Impossibly that makes me go even faster. The possibility of Phil getting brainwashed just like Clint makes me want to throw up. I only have three people. Clint, Phil, and now Steve. I have to keep them safe. I just hope I get there before Phil does.
As I rush in the room, I see he beat me. And then he falls as Loki removes his specter from Phil's chest.
