Disclaimer: Still don't own Marvel's Avengers or Silent Hill.
Chapter Two
Hellicarrier...
Natasha frowned as she watched the footage, she could clearly see her on/off partner confidently taking on a few foolish A.I.M agents. The archer holding a smug grin on his handsome features. The yellow hazmat suits of the enemy making them look more like bee keepers than terrifying enemies. A simple amusing thought that had had Clint chuckling for hours when he had first encountered the group.
Frustration kept rearing its head within her heart. Everything she had tried to locate her friend had been for nothing. No satellite had seen them, no cell phone call, credit card transactions or anything to indicate that the two men were still alive. How could her friend simply disappear like that? It wasn't like him not to get in touch with her, she had called in a few debts to try to locate her friend but everything had come up empty.
Fury was pulling every favour he could, calling in debts that he didn't want to. The fearless spy had his best agents searching every available camera picture for a glimpse of the heroes of New York. The teenage Spiderman had offered assistance, the Fantastic Four throwing their help as well but even with the help of those heroes, they had still came up empty. The dark-skinned director had been forced to call in a personal favour to one Doctor Steven Vincent Strange.
However, the doctor had called Fury personally, offering his assistance personally because something had disturbed him but he hadn't been willing to discuss anything further over the telephone. The director of Shield had then organised a jump jet to collect the man from the city, ignoring the protest of his second in command.
The sorcerer could divide a room with his skills. He was a respected surgeon but an accident had caused him to re-evaluate his life. Strange was like Stark in the arrogant level but while Stark was brilliant with technology, Strange was well versed in the way of the body, magicks and the mystic. It would be interesting to see how the engineer would react to Strange.
Bruce walked quietly in the rather spacious bridge, chewing on his thumb and looking very unhappy about being on the hellicarrier. His footsteps were quiet and he did his best to avoid any and all attention that he seemed to draw towards himself. Did he still regret his actions all those months ago? It hadn't been his fault, Loki had been intent on causing mayhem and the god of mischief had succeeded in creating it. Bruce was a bundle of nervous energy at the best of times, constantly on edge with the fear of 'Hulking Out' when pushed to the limit.
Natasha had heard that when Stark had been left alone with the scientist for the first time, the smaller brunette had decided that it would be an interesting project to force the Hulk out. The engineer had been quite vocal about the man strutting about instead of tiptoeing. Bruce had smiled serenely and stated that he was used to people poking him with sharp things but he still wouldn't release the terrifying creature out of the cage in his skull.
"Morning," Bruce mumbled as he made his way over to her, "Any..."
The Black Widow shook her head. It had been over four days since anyone had last heard from the two men. It was becoming difficult to keep deflecting questions about Tony's disappearance and how he was missing meetings. The Russian got off of the raised platform she had perched on and covered the distance to the doctor. The woman kept a neutral look on her face, not wanting Bruce to know that she was actually missing Clint Barton.
Clint had become like an annoying good luck charm to her over the years, the steady constant in her chaos. She didn't like not having the man at hand and not having him call her when he had been running with Stark to chase AIM agents.
"Nothing so far," Natasha stated sullenly as she pulled a disappointed face, "We have access to near enough every satellite on the planet and we can't find Stark or Barton. How is that possible?"
"Yeah...but remember, Tony's a whiz when it comes to tech. He could simply be nursing a hangover with Clint but I was gonna ask if Shield could rustle up some tea? My stomach doubts that it could handle the liquid that they seem to pass as coffee for much longer," Bruce scratched a spot above his eyebrow.
The Black Widow smiled softly, the alter ego of the Hulk had a rather twisted sense of humour but he was right. It was possible that the two men had decided to have a huge drinking session and were now recovering quietly in a back alley motel somewhere but even then, they would have proof. He was normally so reserved and unassuming most of the time but when it came to sarcasm, the man could rival Stark. The same humour, if you looked close enough, was shared by the Hulk.
Stark had laughed himself silly and so did the rest of the group when the billionaire genius had shown them the secruity video of the Hulk and Loki in a rather one-sided battle. The team had admired Loki for the insult, a well worded and eloquent vent but it had meant nothing to the Hulk who had simply picked up the god and battered him like an excited puppy dog tossing around a tug toy.
Clint had used the pained whimper that Loki had gave as a ringtone for his text messages for about a week or two afterwards.
"I hear Fury is calling in a magician," Captain America walked confidently onto the bridge, looking as though he belonged there, "I don't see how a con man can pull Stark and our archer out of a hat."
"Doctor Strange is a highly respected neurosurgeon," Bruce offered as he greeted the super soldier, "He just happens to be brilliant at magic."
Director Fury appeared on the bridge as though he had been summoned, all attention directed at him and the pale man beside him who was dressed in a smart, tailored suit and a warm smile. The slender male bowed slightly at those who had looked at him, amber eyes drinking in everything.
"I haven't got a big enough hat for Tony Stark's ego," the raven haired man stated in a quiet voice, "Nor the archer sadly."
Captain America blinked, somewhat embarrassed at being heard. He had expected Strange to be, well, strange. The man standing in front of him didn't seem sleazy or devious, in fact, some could say that he could be related to Stark. The two men looking very similar to each other. There was differences, Stark had brown eyes and short, expensively styled hair. Strange had amber eyes the colour of honey and long dark hair that fell over his shoulders.
A confident smile graced Strange as he held his hand out to the captain, "Director Fury has asked me to help look for your friends. I would like to visit the last place they were if it was possible."
Strange dropped his hand when the captain refused it, he could see the doubting look the blonde super soldier gave to the director. The doctor was well aware that people didn't really pay too much attention or even bother with magic.
"You are aware Captain Rogers that everything has an aura," Strange said, "If we go to the last place they were, then, perhaps I could try to locate their position now."
Natasha raised a perfect eyebrow, Stark would mock the man for suggesting such a thing. Clint would also snort, laugh and then mock the man until it was no longer funny. The two men focused on things that they could see and feel rather than magic and the rest of the ilk that fell within the realm of fantasy. Fantasy fell to the thunder god Thor and even then, Stark constantly stated that Asgardian magic wasn't magic, it was simply science he had yet to figure out.
The Russian had, however, heard things about the man in front of her. He was a force to be reckoned with in his own right. He was one of the few powerful beings that Shield kept a close eye on. The sorcerer hadn't shown any signs of turning but Natasha knew that it could take just one word or one simple action to turn someone to the dark side.
"Whatever you need," Fury's deep voice cut through the silence that had fallen over the group, "Just find them. I'm not enjoying having to make up more lies about Stark's location to his assistant."
Strange elegantly walked to the large window that covered the front of the ship, the warm smile dropping from his handsome face. He crossed his arms as he closed his eyes, he could hear the heartbeats of all in the room and how the silence seemed to echo. He could feel the power radiate from the quiet doctor next to the Russian, so that was the Hulk? Impressive, he would need to chat to Doctor Banner at some point to discuss his last published paper but those things were best left for later.
"The name of the town that our missing allies were going to?" Strange asked politely.
"Shepherd Glen," Natasha informed, "but we've been over it with a fine tooth comb. No sign of Stark, Barton or even AIM."
Shepherd Glen...Strange stroked his chin, the name rang an ominous bell in his skull, where have I heard that name before? Where...?
He closed his eyes briefly, the huge window showing the white clouds. The name bothered him but he couldn't quite figure out why. The Sorcerer Supreme pulled a few odd faces as he desperately tried to pull the information to the mind.
Other Silent Hill...
The two Avengers were hiding. No matter what fancy terminology Clint used, regrouping, planning the next move, tactical retreat etc.
In Tony's mind, they were hiding like children. They had bolted when the heavy fog had lifted and the creature who had attacked had slinked off when Stark had blasted it in the face. An inhuman yowl emerging from it's body as it slithered into the darkness. His armour had taken a battering when the monster had chewed on his chest like he was a meaty treat.
He struggled to breathe, his chest feeling like someone had stuck him in a vice and was now tightening it millimeter by millimeter. It felt like someone was also trying to rip his reactor out of his chest as well. Tony knew that he was ready for a full blown panic attack if he didn't control his breathing but in the stuffy air of the shop they had fled into, it seemed impossible.
"Remember to breathe," Clint stated helpfully as he placed a well meaning hand on his shoulder, "Deep breaths huh?"
Brown eyes bore daggers at the archer, "Really?! I thought it would be fun to freak out! I know! Fuck...what the hell is going on?!"
Clint made useless noises, unsure of how to answer that. He didn't know. The thing had came out of nowhere and seemed very intent on killing Stark or rather...going for the reactor in the man's chest and it didn't seem to like the light that it had shone. It really didn't like the repulsor blast to the face either. The reactor seemed to draw the monster though, as they had ran through the town, the creatures seemed to follow.
Is it an energy thing or the light that they are attracted to? Clint thought as he ran a hand through his short hair, ruffling his hair in a vain attempt to think about what was happening.
The town seemed to be throwing out things from hell, monsters that even a terrified child shouldn't be able to think of. His mind was racing, he couldn't think. He was exhausted, his body was running on fumes. They hadn't slept for about four days, they hadn't eaten for the same amount of time. There was no water from what they could see and Clint knew that they couldn't survive without food for much longer.
They had walked through heavy fog, the constant hiss of their comm devices buzzing in their ears getting louder if they heard a rattle from one of the creatures. They had used the noise as a indicator of what way to go or to avoid as they tried to find shelter. There was no sign of any kind of yellow hazmat suits or anything to indicate that the town was something other than a ghost town made real.
He didn't understand how doors were blocked shut from the inside or barred with heavy duty planks of wood on the outside. Tony couldn't prise off the panels even wearing the armour that echoed loudly in the silence. The armour however was looking a bit tatty in the poor lighting that was provided in the town. The gleaming red and brilliant yellow was looking less than shiny in the store were they were in and Tony had dark bags under his brown eyes, the scientist clearly running on empty.
Clint knew he needed sleep, the two men needed sleep but nowhere seemed to be safe enough to remain. The store they were in had been the first place that had had a door that opened and it smelled pretty damn funky in the archer's opinion. There was no real form of defence or offense in the room. Large wardrobes that seemed empty could hold potential enemies or comfy couches that had seen better days offered little comfort.
"I still can't reach Shield or Jarvis," Tony growled in frustration, "All I'm getting is static and some strange noises."
"Are you on the right frequency?" Clint asked as he started moving furniture to protect the large shop window, "It might help."
Tony lifted his head and cocked an eyebrow at the suggestion. He gave the archer a dirty look, deciding that he would not dignify that with an answer as he would only be rude. He was too damn tired to be rude at present but he was in a furniture store and he was Tony Stark. He could build something that would help them communicate with the world that seemed to be so damn far away. First off however, he needed to release the pressure that was building on his body.
He fumbled around the back of his left thigh, searching for the manual release for the armour that was holding him upright. The chest was scratched and dented with bite marks from whatever had attacked earlier. The thing had had a strong bite, it almost penetrated the armour and had that happened, Stark doubted that he would be standing. The armour hissed with expelled gas as his fingers curled round the release mechanism and the billionaire stepped out of the suit as it opened elegantly.
The armour returned to be being full and the engineer took the chance to examine the attack. The bite marks were impressive, it was focused more on the arc reactor, the thing focused completely on trying to rip his heart out it seemed. He stuck a finger in one of the larger holes, pulling a face as he tried to figure out what pressure had been created in those jaws.
"Right okay," Clint rubbed his cheek as he admired the small barrier he had managed, "We need to find food and some drinkable water. We'll use this place as a base and might as well use the beds over in the corner for some kind of sleep."
Tony nodded, his stomach growled in hunger as he thought about the last time he ate. They had been here for a few days and he hadn't had anything proper to eat before he had joined Hawkeye on the hunt for AIM. His last drink had been a shot of scotch and he desperately craved for something to take the taste of ash out of his mouth. Clint seemed to be faring better under the muggy heat of the town but the agent would only be able to carry on for so long before he too started feeling the strain.
"You stay here," Clint ordered, "I'm pretty sure we passed a store of some kind on our way here."
"By yourself? Like hell," Tony countered, "It's too damn dangerous."
"Best will in the world rustbucket, I'm a soldier," Hawkeye watched as the billionaire take a deep breath as he tried to overcome the fear that was trying to take hold, "and you're a civilian. You need to rest, I'll rest when I get back."
In any normal situation, Tony would have argued the point and would buck against the order but he simply nodded in agreement as he looked around the room for somewhere to sit. He would only put Clint in danger if he followed the archer and his body was screaming at him. His head thumped in time with his pulse and his chest felt like it was meant for a child and not for a fully grown adult.
"Find something to arm yourself with," Clint stated as he went to the door, "Don't open the door unless I say so and don't do anything stupid."
I'm not a fucking child, Tony forced a cheery smile on his face, "I got it."
In his life, he never thought he would ever be hiding out in a furniture and watching someone slip out of a door into an ash covered down for water and food but Tony could do nothing as Clint did just that. The store was quiet as the door shut behind the agent and Tony was left by himself. He sighed heavily, suddenly feeling much more nervous. The shop had dusty sofas and tables with dustier place mats. Rugs hung from suspended cases. It was a run of the mill shop, nothing to exciting and certainly a place that was deemed to cheap for his tastes.
He wandered round the large room, his fingers touching nearly every surface and he wasn't surprised at how dusty his fingertips were. He pulled out his cell phone, looking for the signal bar strength to be full and was disappointed to see NO SIGNAL in bold letter across the screen. The screen flickered and his own reactor glowed brighter in the darkness, was something outside?
Tony scratched his forehead, shaking his head to try and dispel it from childish thoughts and fears that kept trying to invade his mind. He focused on more things he knew was certain, shadows couldn't hurt him but he couldn't shake the shiver that refused to move from his spine. They had been over the facts that they knew over and over again. They didn't know how they had arrived in this town, they had been travelling to Shepherd Glen. Hawkeye's hovercycle was gone and so was any sign of AIM. The entire town seemed to be completely devoid of any kind of sentient life.
He drummed his reactor with his fingers as he went towards a bed at the end of the store, a nervous trait he had opted to do after he had the first replacement reactor embedded into his chest cavity. The engineer sat heavily down on the bed and fell back on the firm mattress, closing his eyes. Tiredness seemed to seep coldly into his bones and the weight of the past few days finally setting.
He choked back a tired, frustrated sob as the pain in his chest refused to lift fully. He forced himself back into a sitting position, painful cramps made themselves felt as his body reminded him that he hadn't eaten.
A sobbing child broke his thoughts of hunger and of terror and fear. The noise sounded close, right outside the window. Tony swallowed, Clint would have seen the arrival when he had left unless the kid had waited until he had been alone. The noise tugged on the Avenger's heart, he frowned but it gave him hope. If a kid could survive the weird monsters running around then two heroes who had saved a city should have no problem.
His boots connected to the tiled floor as he got off the bed. He strode confidently to the bizarre barrier the archer had created over the window and he went on tiptoes to see where the kid was and he could see a dirty little bundle of clothes kneeling near the door. He frowned, surely Clint would have seen them? He pushed the thought away as he went to the door to usher the little kid inside for safety.
Slowly, he opened the door and he peered cautiously round. A little blonde girl in a smock like dress remained in a kneeling position, sobbing. He smiled warmly at her, dark eyes scanning the fog that refused to lift permanently for any sign of danger. The street seemed empty, cars littered the street. Hawkeye's footprints were visible in the ash but they were leading away from the shop and the little girl which meant the girl had slipped after the archer had left.
"Hi," Tony said quietly, "you okay kid?"
The child stopped crying and looked up. Tears had stained dirty cheeks as the girl edged forwards towards the now open door. Tony could see a vague, faded picture of Minnie Mouse on the skirt. She wore long white socks but they were black with dirt and filth and no shoes. Tony held his hand out, waggling his fingers and keenly aware that his heavy metal t-shirt was no protection against the monsters.
"C'mon," he said a little louder, "it's safe in here."
Whether that was actually true was really up for interpretation. He certainly didn't feel safe but he would feel happier knowing that the little girl was with him and the girl didn't need to know otherwise. He growled softly before leaving the solid shape of the door frame, the little girl had stopped inching forward and was clutching onto a doll that he was pretty sure had just appeared. He forced a reassuring smile on his face, hoping that she would take his outstretched hand.
A loud sound of ringing bells echoed in the air, startling both Stark and the child. The girl tore off down a dark alley, disappearing completely from sight as the fog swallowed her tiny shape.
"That's new," he breathed as he headed after her.
The air turned heavy, the already dull sky turning even darker and foreboding. It was still warm, he couldn't figure out what time it was, his watch refusing to tell the correct time. The bells still rang and Tony looked behind him to see if Hawkeye was in sight. There was no sign of the man and the footprints that he had left were quickly being covered by the now falling ash.
If church bells are ringing then there has to be other people, he thought as he followed the tracks the girl had made.
Silent Hill, Church...
Silent Hill had two new arrivals. One who would be used as a suitable sacrifice and the other, well, the other would have the greatest honour that she could bestow upon him. It needed to be discussed with the others but she doubted there would be any real kind of disagreement.
A child had seen them, one of the men had a light shining boldly in his chest. He had followed one of the unclean children, trying to coax her into remaining with him for safety. A heroic action, something that was not welcomed in this dark town. Heroes were shunned in Silent Hill. They shunned away from the true face of humanity, the darker nature was welcomed in this hellish town that was perfect to the matron.
Her town wanted nothing to do with the perfection that the world outside wanted. Everything was clean, perfect and false there and her town, her town wasn't. It showed the real face of the world. It's inhabitants were horrid monsters, soulless golems that had one purpose in life. They were pure to her however, they held no falseness.
A slender, greying woman with a tight bun and sharp, stern features watched over those gathered in the spacious room in the church. They sat and prayed silently, not one looking up as she walked down the main aisle. Stained glass windows were dirty, the elegant carvings that had been etched over centuries ago cracked and showing bastardised versions of what the holy images should be.
She shook her head, the town was changing now. The resident monsters creeping out of holes and sniffing out the living souls. Quickly, she counted the children who were present and was not surprised to see that one was missing. The little girl who had seen the two men had been rewarded with a hot bath and a full belly. Eve had then ordered the other children to clean the church and it's rooms to welcome the heroes when they arrived.
Two pure maidens had been instructed to appease and sate any appetite that they would have. The matron of the church knew that men were happier beasts and far more pliable when sated with food and carnal delight. She had heard that they both considered themselves ladies men, notching up a fair number of loose women in their beds.
Men had been brought here earlier, a disgusting creature that had came from the proper world. A man with a huge head encased in metal with weak arms and almost childish legs. It was positively disgusting to look at but it wailed like a newborn, she had it sent to the hospital so the doctor could determine what it actually was.
She turned slowly away from the working women, her heavy but practical skirt barely brushing against the even stone of the floor. Half a dozen young men entered the room, heads bowed in respect as they approached her. They stopped at the last row of pews, not wanting to go any further into the church.
"Mistress," the eldest male spoke softly, "one of the men are on their way here. He is following Abigail."
"Everything is ready for his arrival?"
"Yes. Do you wish us to greet him?"
"...Yes but," Eve smiled coldly, "Do not harm him to much if he refuses."