Dedicated to Kyla, who is sitting across from me looking lovely as ever as we discuss ideas over starbucks
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Angel was circling the Tesseract making notes on a chart and conferring with Bruce when there was a sudden jolt that made everyone stumble. Angel looked at Bruce with concern but he waved her off telling her he was fine. Again there was another jolt and Angel fell on the ground after losing her footing.
"What the hell?" Angel muttered but was flown back when there was an explosion at the entrance of the lab. Angel crashed into a wall and fell to the ground. She looked up and saw Loki enter the lab with his scepter in hand.
"How the hell did you get in here?" Angel growled, moving to get up but Loki aimed his scepter at her.
"I would stay down Ms. Stark," He said, an impish smile growing on his mouth, "I replaced myself with my dear brother in the cell, which I believe is plummeting down to earth as we speak."
Angel gulped as she tried not to think what would happen to Thor once he hit earth, "If you think you can-"
"Oh I don't think, I know Ms. Stark," Loki said while walking over to the Tesseract. He beckoned one of his men over with a briefcase who then kneeled and proceeded to take the Tesseract from its place and put it in the case, "I would love to stay and chat, but I think in a few moments you'll find your hands rather full."
With that Angel looked over to her left and saw Bruce lying about 10 feet from her, writhing on the ground. "Bruce?" She whispered, her eyes widening as she realized what was happening to him.
Loki's smile grew, "I'll hurry things along just for you."
With that he aimed his scepter at Bruce, "NO!" Angel screamed but it was too late. A blue beam of light shot out from the scepter and hit Bruce in the back. Within seconds and growl emitted from his chest as a sickening cracking sound resounded from his body as it started to grow and turn green.
Angel's eyes grew round as we watched Banner transition into the Hulk, who let out a resounded roar. His transformation completed just in time for Loki to make his escape out the way he came and leave Angel to fend for herself.
Thinking quickly, Angel darted across the room and went straight for the rope that hung down from Barton's nest. The Hulk was smashing the science area, distracted enough to give Angel time to climb up the rope and into the nest. Her notebook fell out of her pocket and clattered loudly on the ground below, catching the attention of the Hulk who then saw Angel climb into the nest.
Natasha entered the lab at that point and froze when she saw the Hulk charging towards the nest he could easily reach with one jump. Before he could make that jump, Natasha whipped out her gun and fired two shots in the air to get Hulk's attention. He turned and saw Natasha standing there with the gun in her hand and changed direction. Natasha ran for the nearest heating vent, shooting at it so that the grate would loosen and she could kick it in. she slid down the shaft just in time for Hulk to get there and start tearing at the opening of it.
While this occurred, Angel left through the door beside the nest and ran through the corridor. She needed to get to Sharon and make sure she was okay and find out where Loki was going.
*.*.*.*.*.
Sharon entered the bridge and ran to Fury's position where he was shouting orders at everyone. Apparently Loki's team was able to fly close enough to the helli carrier and shoot a grenade into one of the engines, lodging debris into the rotators and stopping it all together. They weren't losing altitude fast, but they were going down hard.
Seeing all this happen Sharon ran over to one of the techs and took their headset from them.
"hey!"
"Get Tony Stark online NOW!" Sharon ordered, waiting impatiently for the tech to put her through.
"This is Stark!"
"Listen Dillhole, I don't care if your pride is shattered. Our enemy just took out one of SHIELD's engines and we're losing altitude. If you know what's good for you than you'll swallow your damn pride, put on one of your stupid suits, and come and save the ship your sister is on!" Sharon yelled. Handing the headset back to the orderly before she could hear Tony's response and walking up to Fury, who had a smirk on his face.
"Thank you Ms. Carver," He said.
"Anytime Director, where do you want me?"
"Right where I can see you, Loki is out of his cell and he might be looking for you now."
Sharon swallowed, "sir with all due respect, I can take him."
"And with all due respect that was when you had absorbed a ton of power, which you no longer have. You'll stay right here until the situation is under control."
Sharon sighed with frustration, feeling like once again they were underestimating her.
*.*.*.*.*.
Natasha moved swiftly and quietly through the underbelly of the Tesseract Lab. It was like she was playing whack-a-mole with the Hulk. Every so often she would pop out of a floor grating or a side panel and fire a few shots at Hulk, then disappear before he could get to her.
She was able to keep this up for a good half-an hour before the carrier jolted suddenly, bringing down a section of grating on top of her so she couldn't move. She tried to move out of the grating but was too late when she felt a large hand grasp her and pull her up. She then found herself face to face with the Hulk.
Natasha swallowed, "Bruce I need you to calm down and see that it is me. It's Natasha!"
Hulk sniffed and growled a bit, he was too far-gone and out of control to recognize her. Just when it seemed like he was about to hurl her across the room, a wall to their right exploded and something flashed by and hit Hulk in the head. Hulk let go of Natasha, who hit the floor. She was ready to get up and run when a piece of debris struck her in the head and knocked her out cold.
*.*.*.*.*.
Steve had suited up and was running to the engine that had blown, hoping that he could find some way to make himself useful and get it up and working again. He was standing on the edge of the damaged area looking out on the clouds when Tony appeared in front of him in his suit.
"Nice threads Cap." Tony said, Steve smiled.
"Not looking to shabby yourself Stark. Tell me what I can do to help."
*.*.*.*.*.
Angel couldn't find Sharon in any of the usual places, everything and everyone was in chaos at the infiltration. She decided to move to the engine what had been destroyed, knowing she could manipulate something to help it get up and working.
As she walked down the corridor she saw several men in black surrounding the area, shooting out into the damaged area, someone was shooting back at them. Angel stopped and assessed, knowing immediately in her head that these were not SHIELD personnel.
Her eyes widened when she saw a flash of the red, white, and blue shield she knew so well. Making a quick decision, she moved up behind the shooter closest to her, she put a hand on his exposed arm and manipulated his body to drop unconscious. She then grabbed his gun and began to shoot the others. Between her and Captain all the men were unconscious within seconds.
She then moved out into the damaged area and saw Steve standing on a ledge across the way from her, he'd have to have used some of his agility in order to hop over there and make the distance.
"Angel get back!" Steve called out to her, but Angel rolled her eyes and made a couple leaps and swings from exposed pipes. She landed gracefully next to Steve with a small smirk on your face.
"Seriously, what is with you men and making women out to be helpless?" She said, taking her earpiece out of her pants pocket and putting it in her ear.
"Cap what's happening over there?" She heard her brother's voice in her ear.
Angel's eyes widened, "Tony what are you doing here?"
"Hey sis, your friend was kind enough to send me a delightful invitation to this event. Will you let me concentrate on getting this ship flying again now?"
"Tell me what you need, Steve doesn't know modern day electronics."
"You're not going to help me here Ange, get back on the ship and find a secure location. I need to clear out the debris and kick start this thing."
"Have you cleared the debris?" Angel asked, ignoring Tony's demand for her to leave. Steve was looking impatient and confused.
"I just got the last of it, I just need Rogers to-"
"Tony get out of there." Angel said, before leaping up to the electronics panel and slamming a hand into it. She manipulated the power to fix itself and restart the engine.
"WHAT THE!" Tony yelled before Angel heard some clanging in her ear. Obviously he hadn't listened and didn't get out of the turbines.
"Steve flip that red lever beside you!" Angel shouted. He did so and it slowed the turbines down long enough for Tony to make an escape. Angel had a smirk on her face as Tony flew up to where she was. His suit was scratched and scuffed, some sparks were shooting out of the stabilizers in his hands.
"Next chance I get you and I are going to have a very long chat about how you learned to do that." Tony said before flying off to some other section of the ship.
Angel smirked, she was suddenly looking forward to that conversation; one that she had been avoiding for several years now.
All your feedback has been excellent so far! Keep it coming! It's always appreciated and makes me feel happy.
Alasiel