Chapter 1
LOCATION : NEVADA
DATE : 21 DAYS SINCE CHITAURI ATTACK
TIME : 0030 Hrs
It was nearing midnight and the street below was dark and quiet. The very few on the street were sheltering themselves against the cold wind. Agent Clint Barton was perched comfortably on the roof of the tallest department store overlooking the cheap motel. His assignment was peacefully sleeping in one of the less desirable rooms. Not for long though.
In the weeks following the Chitauri attack, the latest illegal business was trafficking alien technology. S.H.I.E.L.D hadn't been able to clean up everything as fast as it would have liked, especially since their base took a major hit. But it was able to round up most of the traffickers, set detail on them, track their location, take the tech or take them out. Pretty much standard procedure. Like this mission.
"Should we move in sir?", the voice in his ear from the comm sounded unfamiliar and felt uncomfortable. Suppressing his displeasure, he replied, "Negative, we wait for conformation from base". "Yes sir", and his comm went static.
Clint took a moment to mentally assess his current partner. It would be required in his final report. He was young, inexperienced but talented. Good asset but needed a lot of training, like most new agents do. Then again, his real partner never did. His lips quirked in a smile. Natasha never did require any training when she joined S.H.I.E.L.D. He still remembered the look of surprise, admiration and fear in the agents when they watched her in action for the first time. And the time when she managed to break into Fury's personal quarters at the base and the time when Phil... No, not now, he needed to focus.
He was thankfully saved from his own thoughts of despair when the comm in his ear cracked with Agent Sitwell's voice. "We have conformation on the target, you can proceed as directed".
Knowing that his current partner had also received the message, Clint hooked one of his trusted arrows to the bow and let loose. It hit the mark with precision as he looped the string securely in his belt. Taking a deep breath of the cold night's air, he jumped.
LOCATION : STARK TOWER, NEW YORK
DATE : 21 DAYS SINCE CHITAURI ATTACK
TIME : 0700 Hrs
Virgina Pepper Potts has seen many things in her life as the personal assistant and later co-CEO of multi-billionaire Anthony Stark. She has seen random parties in the middle of the night, tech blowing up all around the house, the most advanced artificial intelligence working as butler, flying metal armors...you get the idea.
But nothing had prepared her to see a suit-less Tony Stark trapped in hanger with a snarling Hulk breathing down his neck with a giant steel beam in hand.
"TONY", she screamed.
"Ah! Pepper, yes good you are here, come and see the new polymer plexi-glass I was developing for the Hulk-proof room. It is with-standing all of Hulk's beating. It has excellent durability, though I need to work on the tensile strength-"
"TONY, I DON'T CARE ABOUT PLEXI-GLASS, GET OUT OF THERE NOW", she yelled.
"But Bruce and I aren't done with our playtime", he pouted, pouted. Good god, she needs a vacation.
"Tony, there is a hulk in the room-"
"You can't test a Hulk-proof room without Hulk", he deadpanned.
"-with a steel beam about to hit you and you are not running", she said her voice going into higher octave with each syllable until it nearly ended in a screech.
Tony flinched in the room, "God Pepper! JARVIS make a note to test our new glass against Pep's voice. Between ourselves I say she'd beat the hulk".
"Note taken sir. Although, need I remind you that the mathematical probability the hypothesis would come true is less than 0.00-"
"Mute".
"JARVIS, open the doors", Pepper said looking at the ceiling. Even after years of working for Tony Stark and knowing that the AI is omni-present, she always turns her head up to address JARVIS.
"J-man, don't do it. It is a direct order. And hulk is not hitting me, he is playing baseball, aren't you buddy", Tony replied from the room immediately. Hulk grunted in the back.
"JARVIS execute Protocol 003. Open the doors immediately", Pepper exclaimed.
She smiled when the doors opened with a hiss. "Not fair J, you are supposed to play for the home team. Now I'm gonna have to donate you to the community college", Tony whined.
"Sir, you created Protocol 003 in case where you said and I quote 'I am behaving like a pig headed d**k, let Pepper take charge-".
"Yes, yes I'm aware. Mute", he said and turned to the Hulk. "Nice bonding Brucey, we need to do it another time", with that he walked out of the Hulk-proof room. The door shut automatically behind him. They could hear the Hulk groaning from inside as he slowly shrank back to the sleeping form of Dr. Bruce Banner.
"If only the army could see him now", Tony sighed as he turned back to Pepper. "So Pep, what made you come down and ruin my fun time with my science-bro?", he asked.
Pepper rolled her eyes and replied, "Directory Fury is on the line and wants to talk to you. You are not picking up his call".
"And you are surprised because?", Tony asked.
Pepper sighed. "Tony, I know you don't play well with others. But now you are an integral part of Avengers-".
"And I answer only to them, not to S.H.I.E.L.D".
"Avengers are S.H.I.E.L.D".
"Not if I have anything to say about it and I have plenty".
They reached the top where the conference call was setup. Even via video Director Nick Fury looked intimidating and excluded authority. But when has Tony Stark cared about authority.
"Ahoy there Eye-patch, watcha doing?", Tony said in greeting.
"Stark, a matter of emergency and discretion has been brought to my notice. I need you to look into it", Fury said.
"If you are going to need my help you should ask me nicely. Now say the magic word", Tony replied.
Director Fury frowned, "Stark I don't have time for your games. I will have Agent Ramanoff bring the details to you personally. This is big Stark, we may need the Avengers again. I need you to do your best on this", he dropped the call without another word.
"Well, isn't he charming", Tony remarked dryly. Pepper sighed again.
LOCATION : SOMEWHERE IN TENNESSEE
DATE : 21 DAYS SINCE CHITAURI ATTACK
TIME : 1100 Hrs
The streets were flying past as Captain Steve Rodgers rode his trusted Harley-Davidson bike. Though it is more of a reflex honed over years that saved him from colliding head on into another vehicle as his thoughts were elsewhere. He had been roaming the streets of his beloved country for the past few weeks. So much has changed in the time he had remained frozen. Some for the good, some not so much.
But mostly he was mulling about the Howling Commandos and Avengers. Both were his team. Both were formed under unusual circumstances. And both were lost to him before he could get used to them. With the commandos he put the plane under the sea and froze in time. With Avengers, well he wasn't sure if Avengers would ever fight as a team again.
Firstly there is Tony Stark. Steve's initial animosity towards the genius had greatly reduced after the battle. He tended to fight smart than fight hard and Steve had to agree it usually produced good results. But Stark never does team work. He couldn't see how Tony would take orders from anybody, especially a solider frozen in time.
Secondly, there is Thor, the crown prince of Asgard, an ancient race from a powerful planet. Steve suspected, were it not for Loki's direct involvement, Thor wouldn't have even been there.
Then there is Hulk, who is as much unpredictable as unpredictable can get. So no believing in him either.
And finally the assassin duo. While they are trained in every way possible and can take and execute orders, they are ultimately S.H.I.E.L.D agents and play only for the agency.
No, Steve thought, he couldn't see how Avengers would come together again. But he was sure of one thing. If earth needed avenging again, he would be there right in the middle of it.
With these thoughts in mind, Steve pulled over at the nearest gas station to re-stock his supplies. He is just getting the hang of how modern money worked. When he reached the cashier he pulled out the small S.H.I.E.L.D issued plastic card. He successfully managed to avoid the overly flirtatious young dame...woman and left again with his thoughts on Avengers.