Chapter Seventeen:

Extremis Pt.4

Toni could hear the different sounds around her; the sounds of birds tweeting in the blue sky, the sound of men laughing from the fort wall, she could hear the sound of her friends moving quietly through the brush, and she could hear Steve, Bruce, and even Red Skull himself. She could hear them and she could see them. It was a though the entire world was laid before her on a grid and no matter which way she turned, she could see every view point.

Noting the guards walking around the compound, she quickly began leading Clint and the others the best she could through the maze of enemies.

'Take a right Clint and follow the wall to the eastern gate. Wait just on the outside of it until I tell you it's clear.'

She watched as Clint followed her instructions, the others following his lead unquestioningly. Behind her, she was fully aware of the Baron and Hammer watching her while sitting on the bench that Natasha had chained them too. She cared little what they thought, but she wasn't about to underestimate them. She knew both men were smart in their own ways, though nowhere near to the genius of her own mind.

Another thing she was aware of was her body. It was growing weaker and weaker as time went on. She knew they needed to hurry if she wanted to last through the rescue to the time they returned.

'Go now Clint, the way is clear. The door straight across the compound is unguarded. Go! Go now!'

Clint nodded, knowing Toni could see it. He dashed across the entrance to the door, Natasha and Thor right behind him. He didn't fully understand how Toni knew where they were going completely, but he trusted her. Perhaps he shouldn't, considering how she has been changed due to Extremis, but he couldn't help that his gut instinct screamed at him to trust her, so he did.

Sipping through the door, he waited cautiously for the all clear from Toni before heading deeper into the fort. Toni had told him Steve and Bruce were not far from his current location, but all it took was one guard seeing them to make this rescue that much harder.

Toni sucked in a breath when she heard Red Skull's voice filter through her ears.

"Soon the body of Steve Rogers will be mine and so will the genius of Banner!" Red Skull turned to his minion who stood silently in the shadows of the wall. "Bring Rogers to me!"

The man merely nodded and turned to perform his ordered task. Toni's eyes narrowed.

'Steve, trouble is coming. Be Ready.'

Steve didn't need to be told twice as both he and Bruce prepared to move as soon as they had the opportunity.

'Clint, you must hurry. Red Skull has sent for Steve. He cannot be handed over to him.'

'He won't be' Clint promised, 'not if I have anything to say about it.'

Clint and the others picked up the pace, but they still moved silently and cautiously, using Toni's instructions to guide them on their way.

Steve heard the clank of the door as he peered up and into the face of a masked man with a metallic arm. The man said nothing as stood in front of the cell.

"Are you here for me?" Steve asked.

The man still didn't move.

Bruce and Steve shared a glance before finally the man opened the door and stepped inside. Steve didn't waste time thinking things through as he attempted to surprise the man, however the masked villain was anything but unprepared as he grabbed Steve and using his momentum, flipped the Captain over his shoulder and banged his head into the bars. Steve gasped as the wind got knocked out of him, but Bruce used the moment to try his own attempt at the man. He wasn't expecting the man to suddenly dodge, as though he didn't have a grown man thrown over his shoulder. The villain grabbed Bruce's arm and Steve winced at the sound of a bone snapping as Bruce screamed in pan, dropping to his knees.

The man backed up a step when a green ripple stretched across Bruce's body, his eyes glowing green. Toni knew if Bruce lost control now, not only could it injure Steve, but it would also possibly ruin his broken arm.

'Bruce' Toni whispered into his mind, 'Big green, it is me, Toni.'

The hulk who was attempting to come out, froze.

"Rust bucket?" he whispered out loud, making both Steve and the stranger furrow their brow in confusion before clarity dawned on Steve. Bruce was talking to Toni!

'Do not worry my friend, all is well however you must remain calm. Help is on the way Bruce, Clint and Natasha, as well as Thor are headed your way. You hear me Bruce? Stay with me.'

Bruce closed his eyes, deeply breathing through the pain and the anger that swam over his senses, attempting to take control. He fought it as he finally opened his eyes, now a normal brown with no sign of green. The villain relaxed a bit as he started out of the cell with Steve on his shoulder who was rapidly losing his battle with consciousness.

Bruce grimaced as he sat on the cot, closing his eyes.

'Toni, is that really you?'

'It is Bruce. We will see one another soon, hold on.'

Bruce didn't respond as the door once again clanked. He stood up, prepared to fight tooth and nail if he must should they try to take him, but when the intruders rounded the corner, he couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face as he noted Clint, Natasha, and Thor staring at him.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes" Hawkeye stated, smiling.

Bruce just snorted.

"About time you guys got here, I was beginning to get restless."

"Seem you were having more problems than that", Natasha commented as she gently reached forward and ran her fingers over his broken arm. He winced, closing his eyes as she swiftly removed her hands.

"It's not so bad. Toni stopped me from going green or it could have been much worse."

"Toni did?" Clint asked.

"The Woman of Iron is aboard the ship", Thor stated, confused.

"It's a long story", Bruce stated, though he noted Clint didn't look near as confused as the other two.

"Toni", Clint began out loud, "Should we move out from here or…"

'Bruce needs medical assistance. Send Natasha back with him she can care for him and she may need to care for me before too long as well. Keep moving Clint, you and Thor must hurry. Steve is unconscious, I can no longer speak to him. Hurry.'

"Toni wants you and Nat to head back to the ship."

Nat was about to argue when Clint raised up his hand.

"Trust me Nat, you need to be with Toni."

Natasha said nothing more, merely nodding as she turned with Bruce on her heels for the way they had entered. Bruce leading the way with Toni's instruction.

As Clint watched them leave, he breathed out a sigh before moving towards the inner hall.

"Ready big guy? This is when it might get fun."

Thor raised his hammer and smiled. Clint didn't need anything to let him know that Thor was more than ready to find their long lost leader and be done with it.

'Hang on Steve' Toni whispered at her unconscious lover, 'help is coming.'

AVNGRS

A deep pain resonated within Steve as he opened his eyes, flinching at the light. He could hear voices talking above him, but everything was a bit blurry. Groaning, the voices suddenly stopped.

"Toni…" he whispered.

"I'm afraid not Captain", Red skull laughed, "Your friend Toni, is dead. Stark was merely another pawn to be disposed of, just as you will be."

Steve blinked, focusing on the enemy looking down on him from above. Steve tried to move, but found his arms strapped at his side. He struggled against the bonds, but they were unyielding.

'Toni!' he called desperately, remembering how she had spoken to him mentally before while he was in the cell.

'Steve!' came the just as desperate reply, 'Thank goodness you're awake. Steve, Clint and Thor are headed your way, try to stall for time. I will help, just stall the best you can.'

Steve didn't need to be told again. Like a mad man, he began fighting the restraints. Red Skull seemed amused until the lights suddenly shattered overhead.

"What in blazes is going on?!" he shouted, "get the lights back on, now!"

Red Skull moved away and Steve focused his attention on the vents above him, the sudden feeling of someone watching him stronger than ever.

"Clint?" he whispered.

Sure enough, Hawkeye dropped down from the vent under the cover of darkness, a large smile on his face.

"I heard you needed a ride"

Steve snorted, shaking his head. "I suppose I just might"

Clint quickly drew out his laser and began cutting through the specially made bonds on the man's wrists. Thor stood in the hall, waiting for the signal that he was too rush in should they need assistance.

Back on the ship, Toni's body swayed where she stood ramrod still, her eyes closed in concentration. Natasha had just arrived on the ship with Bruce and both were more than a little worried about their friend.

"Toni, are you…"

"I am fine Bruce", Toni interrupted and for the first time, it sounded like her speaking out loud rather than a machine. "For now anyways."

Bruce nodded as he was lowered onto the opposite bench from their "guests", but he kept his eyes trained on Toni while Natasha splinted his arm and wrapped it the best she could in a makeshift sling.

Toni grimaced when a sharp pain stabbed her through the eyes. She knew she was running out of time.

AVNGRS

With Red Skull gone, barking orders at his men as the entire base fell to darkness, Clint, Steve, and Thor made their escape. Steve was a bit wobbly on his feet, thanks to the minor concussion he now sported. Clint kept his arm over his shoulder, helping the man move quick on his feet as Thor stayed behind them, watching for any guards that might have noticed their movements.

'You must hurry Clint, we are running out of time.'

Clint grunted in answer. He wasn't happy about the shakiness he could hear in Toni's voice.

"We are almost to the exit", Clint told his friends as Toni relayed the information to him. "When we get outside, we need to move fast. We won't have much time to get away before Toni enacts her plan."

"Plan?" Steve asked, his eyes squinting from the pain, "what plan?"

'A plan' Toni whispered into his mind, mindful of his concussion.

"That was very informative…Toni", he sarcastically stated, his ryes closing at the sound of his own voice.

Clint winced in sympathy for Steve, but he went on to explain the plan, knowing Toni was probably a bit preoccupied at the moment keeping the enemy off their backs. He could hear the occasional explosions in the distance and knew she was keeping them running, trying to figure what was happening.

"We need to hurry Steve. Her plan is a good one, however it comes with consequences."

Steve was about to demand more of an answer than that, when Toni's voice broke through into all of their minds.

'Run now. I can no longer wait, the time must be now. Hurry!'

The three men burst out of the door, mindful of the guards on the wall who noticed them. Yells sounded around them as bullets began raining down around them. A sharp pain skinned Clint's shin, but he kept going, barely stumbling as he knew the only thing that mattered was getting out of the compound.

The three were not even half way back to the ship when the sound of what Clint could only describe as an eruption rumbled behind them. The ground shook causing them to stumble. Clint leaned against the tree, supporting himself and Steve while Thor stood, waiting it out. A large cloud of dust and debris fell down around them, enveloping them and turning their clothes a light gray color.

Steve erupted into a series of coughs that stabbed his head again and again with each loud movement. Clint wasn't much better off as he stumbled back through the trees, his eyes watering from the dust. Steve luckily had his eyes closed at the time of the explosion and could see very clearly the trees as they separated and brought the ship into view.

'Toni, we are here' he whispered to her.

However he became adamantly concerned when she did not answer back.

"Toni!" Clint yelled, forgetting about Steve's head as he winced. However Steve said nothing, as he too wanted to see Toni more than anyone else.

The ramp of the ship lowered and Natasha met them, her face grim.

"We need to leave. Hurry and board."

The three glanced at one another before rushing onto the ship. Clint froze for a moment when he saw Toni laying on the ground, her head in the lap of Bruce as he gently ran a hand through her hair. Her skin was white and her lips a faint blue color. Her breathing was faint and erratic. Steve stumbled in behind him, dropping to his knees beside the twenty-one year old turned fifteen year old. Her usual brown and flowing hair was cropped short, sticking up in places and completely unkempt, so unlike Toni. He had the feeling Modok must have cut her hair when he had taken her in for experimentation.

"Is she…"

"She is alive", Bruce stated, sighing as he once again ran his hand through her hair, "however she is weak. Very weak. The amount of power and concentration it took for her to blow the fort was beyond her present capacity. We need to get her home. It's her only chance to survive, though I honestly don't know much about Extremis. I will do what I can."

"Perhaps I can be of assistance", Hammer called from where he sat at the side beside the Baron. His hands were chained, but his eyes stayed locked on the girl in Bruce's arms.

"Why would you help us?" Steve asked, completely suspicious of his sudden urge to help Toni.

"I helped start Extremis. The fact that she survived it… consider me evil, I don't care, but I want to see her survive just so I know what Extremis can do."

Steve glared at the man, but he knew as well as the others that Justin Hammer could possibly be Toni's only chance at survival.

"Clint, take us to Shield. We have a criminal to drop off."

The Baron's face paled at the thought of shield, but the Avengers cared little what he felt as they prepared for the journey. Thor lifted Toni into his arms, allowing Bruce to get up from the floor where she had lost consciousness. Steve stumbled over to the corner, nearest the cockpit and sat down again the wall. Thor followed and placed her gently beside him, resting her head in his lap. Steve smiled thankfully up at the man.

"Thanks Thor."

Thor smiled back.

"Take care of the woman of Iron. We will be at shield soon."

Steve smiled sadly down at the woman in his arms. He ran a gentle hand across her face, his heart skipping a beat when she choked a bit in her breathing.

"Hold on Toni, please. Hang on for me. We will be home soon."

AUTHORS NOTE*

So what do you think? Will Toni make it? What will happen with Extremis? Can Justin Hammer be trusted to help? What happened to Red Skull? Find out in the next chapter!