Janet was looking up at the guns her gaze had not changed at all in the past few seconds it was then she realized something, something she had not felt in a while. Her vision began to focus in again her mind clearing of all those negative thoughts. This was not how she was going die she was not broken yet she had not lost. Her stern look faded to a smile she was the Wasp the only Wasp a true hero and the world needed her alive. Yes her company needed her; the avengers needed her, her friends needed her, and she need to live for her.

She shrunk rapidly as a set of purple beams passed her singeing her hair causing it to curl up at the ends. She took off into the air after that flying right over the head of one of the guards curving down she fired her stingers right at the base of the guard's neck she heard the woman yell. Janet flew along the woman's spine as the woman went down dodging the back kick of the woman's leg. She spun around as she flew up firing her stingers at the ceiling causing parts to fall down and create a huge dust cloud.

Janet had the advantage in this cloud her small figure was harder to make out in the grey dust and those glowing weapons made them so easy to spot. She flew towards one rolling out of the way of a set of blasts she knew she needed to be in close she would have the advantage. She missed this feeling inside her the feeling of being strong of being herself and showing what she could do. She flew fired her stingers at the guard she was flying it making him block them with his guns and step back. She drew closer now ready to take him out she suddenly rolled to the left as the man swung his gun down at her followed by a blast from the man's other gun. She blocked the shot as best she could with her forearms howling a bit before flying towards him firing her stingers. The man was dodging them even at this close of range his feet barely lifting off the ground keeping a strong stance. Janet had not seen a style like this before no matter how she came at him he kept dodging her stingers. She flew up and fired down at him from above only to watch him hop ever so slightly yet spin rapidly at the same time. His feet never higher than a fraction of an inch off of the floor as the man spun he fired several shots all perfectly aimed at Janet making her dodge she flew towards him. Increasing her speed even more she fired seven shots at his body the man blocking them with his guns. Janet smiled stopping an inch from his face the yellow tilted ring on her mid calf began to glow she spun around and struck the man across the face with her leg. There was bright flash as it struck the man falling to the ground hard.

She had no time to celebrate however as she ducked down one of the female Diyan had rushed forward and slashed at her with her gun. The diamonds that had been sticking out finally struck something and that was the pillar next to wasp. The diamonds cut through the stone and metal while the sparking purple light turned everything between them to dust. Janet flew up and back as the other gun came up at her just missing Janet's chest. Janet used the momentum to do a quick flip and fire three shots at the woman. The woman easily blocked them she followed Janet down her feet still flat on the floor as they spread apart once she saw Janet begin to pull up the woman fired several quick jabs at Janet. Janet danced around them just keeping out of reach of the blades. The woman popped up quicker then Janet could fly up and then swung down with her right gun and missing Janet by a hair but at the same time her left gun came in with a wide hook. Janet flew back as fast as she could but was caught by the tip of a diamond blade that sliced slightly into her skin. The fabric quickly sealed up the hole and stopped the blood from rushing out but the pain still hit Janet hard. Janet put distance between her and the woman but the woman did not give her more than a second moving forward and firing her guns Janet had to weave in and out fighting the pain she felt with each movement pulling on her wounds. She fired her stingers rapidly at one of the guns until it flew from the woman's hand, she simply drew one of her other guns. Janet had to end this had to keep the momentum of her wins going had to keep her feelings high. She rose up into the air towards a light and then vanished from the woman's sight.

Janet had shrunk down to an eighth of an inch hiding her body in the bright beams this was risky for each time she changed sized the wounds she had would stretch and twist and cause more pain. She held her stomach for a second and then flew straight at the woman who was scanning the area for Janet her eyes darting back and forth then closing as her body was sent flying backwards. Janet had fired her stingers as she dove and struck the woman between the eyes. It was a sensitive spot no matter who the person was and this caused the female to lose balance fall back and strike her head against the floor knocking her unconscious giving Janet her second victory. Janet returned to a larger size only to be struck by a ball of purple light she had been tagged and she knew it. She looked to see a man pointing his guns at her before firing them and slowly pulling his aim away from her so the beams would be flying almost away from Janet.

Janet began to fly away from the beams looking back to see them all curve slightly and follow her. She increased her speed banking hard to her right along a wall seeing the beams curve slightly before striking the wall and blasting holes into it. Janet darted back and forth if her theory was correct the beams could only curve, not make a rapid turn. This would explain why he was aiming as he did firing one at her directly and another off at an angle to curve and follow her from a different course. She also noticed the fact that the female guard was also firing at her but the beams were not drawn to her they traveled straight like they did before. This must mean each set of guns followed a different signal so as not to wreck the aim of others. But how was it tracking it her how could they follow her when all that hit her was a beam of light. She did not have time to figure this out though it was taking a lot of attention to keep dodging. The mystery would have to be solved shield later after the mission for right now she needed to fly as close to the wall as possible and make hard sharp turns. She fired her stingers towards the man shooting at her only to have them block them with ease from that distance. She needed to get closer but when she pulled away from the walls and got closer it became harder to dodge and she would find herself moving back to the wall flying in circles around the room. Then with a grin she flew up and began to fly close to the high ceiling she would slowly close in on the man in a spiral pattern. The beams had less space to curve and as she drew closer she noticed he had to move awkwardly to keep up. This was her chance he could not spin his body fast enough in these tight circles to keep up with her. She fired her stingers but they were blocked by the man doing a subtle hop and spin. Once she saw him jump her strategy became clear to all of them she dove at the man's back firing her stingers and striking him hard several times. The split second his body stopped moving was all she needed. She watched the man fall to his knees then to his chest knocked out from blasts.

The remaining guard was a woman the same woman who had promised Ajaw that they would stop Janet. The woman took a low stance her left foot flat on the ground in front of her her right leg was at a sharp right angle so her foot was flat on the ground. "I guess I will need to try something more." The gun in her left hand flipped to the side as a shield of purple energy began to form. It took the shape of a kite shield except for the fact that on the corner in front of the body a semi circle was cut out from it. The other corner came to a swooping point while the bottom came to a matching curved point. The gun in her right hand flipped up and from the smaller barrel a beam shot out and came to a point at about 26 inches long. The larger barrel then shot out a beam that came to a point at 32 inches long. "It is time for me to introduce you to how a royal fights with a blade."

Janet flew up a bit higher, "I hope you can keep up with me." She had kept her smile the entire time she fought and spoke the pain building inside her body making her want to scream but she would never let it show in front of her enemy. She dove forward firing her stingers at the woman who raised her shield to block the shots with a sweep of her arm and spinning slightly her blade swinging around at the same time the woman's feet still looked as if they were on the ground. Janet dove backwards missing the slash then quickly flying up as the swing stopped the tip of the longer blade pointed and thrust at her. She had to weave in and out as the thrusts continued then suddenly stopped as the blade vanished from her sight. She quickly turned to her right and fired her stingers rapidly at the beam sword coming at her. The woman had spun so rapidly Janet had a split second to react and firing her stingers slowed the spin so she could drop down and not get hit. She then felt the shield hit her solidly and send her up straight towards the sword. Janet turned her body all the yellow in her uniform glowing she fired her stingers. The sword was knocked back giving Janet the space to fly around it and up into the safety of the air.

The woman stepped back getting back into her original pose only turning sideways to Janet this time. Her shield was between them as she placed the large blade of beam sword into the cut out semicircle. The woman moved forward and watched Janet stay her ground then she squeezed the trigger on the handle of the sword the smaller beam blade shot out making Janet dodge it quickly. The woman would continue this slow movement of going forward then firing another blade at Janet. Janet would return fire with a few shots from her stingers but they would be blocked by the shield. Then with a sudden movement the woman closed the gap between them causing Janet to pull back and weave between thrusts of the blade. The shield never came down the only keeping the space between them constant as she was jabbed at by the sword. The woman waited for Janet to go down a bit lower then she squeezed the trigger on the gun that had formed the shield. The shield shot forward and struck Janet sending Janet into a wall and crushed slightly by the shield before falling down to the ground when the shield vanished. At the same time this happened the woman's gun had reformed the shield and she was charging toward Janet.

Janet did not think once she saw the woman charge she simply pushed down the pain and flew up and away as fast as she could. Her old wings would have been damaged by this fight but the upgrade her people had given her to them made it so they were perfectly fine. She took a deep breath and then flew up to the ceiling and diving straight down firing her stingers rapidly at the woman's head. The woman held the shield above her to block the shots until tit was too late. Janet had moved not in a straight line down but at a slight angle this change made it so Janet could strike the woman in her left leg. The stinger caused the woman to move slightly and Janet had her first opening she fired her stingers rapidly at the woman until she finally got her shield in a place to block. The woman was moving slower now feeling the effects of each shot and the pain that resided even after the first hit. The woman charged forward her shield at her side to gain speed by pumping her arms. The woman leapt and slid in a spinning slash only to have her blade dodged by Janet who recognized this attack. She fired her stingers in the split second the woman's body was open and sending her to the ground. Janet fired her stingers at the woman's hands causing her to release the shield and sword.

Janet hovered over the woman who was dazed but not fully out, "Now normally the hero has so cool quip or saying when they win but I have just one thing on my mind and I don't want you to hear it." She fired her stingers at the woman's head the force of the blast knocking her out as Janet let out a pain filled scream one she had held back for the entire fight. The scream lasted until she ran out of breath and had to breath heavily to regain the air in her lungs. She slowly flew towards the painting she had found the door button she used on her last visit here. She knocked the painting off the wall and slammed her fist into the red button. The door popped open and Janet flew through it she had to compose herself for this last battle.

Janet flew into the giant throne room looking around still amazed by the running water falling from the walls around them. She flew towards Ajaw who was sitting on his throne surprised that she had made it. His hand moved to the arm rest of his throne and gave it a squeeze as he did a table of green light appeared in his lap. He tapped the table and from behind his throne emerged several metal arms each tipped with a large metal ball. He pushed a button again and purple beams fired at Janet.

Janet dodged them quickly and fired her stingers at each arm causing the balls to explode and fall down, "I have had enough of this for today!"

Ajaw tapped a few more times on the table of light and from the water pouting down the walls emerged several large tubes that began to fire off purple beams. "No we have just started."

Janet fired her stingers at the tubes once again causing explosions these followed her as she flew closer towards Ajaw. Before Ajaw could type in his next set of commands Janet fired her stingers at the throne breaking the projectors for the table. "No we are finished."

Ajaw drew his first set of guns before he could point them at Janet she fired her stingers to knock them from his hands. Two more shots took the guns from Ajaw's waist and with a shocked cracking voice, "do not think you have won yet"

A voice suddenly boomed through the throne room, "Ajaw it is over you have lost your place with us."

Ajaw shook his head, "no please I can still do more."

The voice spoke again, "What good will are you to me behind bars you are no longer a Royal."

Ajaw began to claw at his mask, "please emperor I can do so much...I can." He began to cough and then fell backwards trying to peel the mask off that was now wrapped around his head. A second later the movement stopped as Ajaw's head rolled away from his body then entire thing now encased in a white plastic blood flowing from the neck moving across the floor until it reached the channel that caught the water that fell from the ceiling in seconds the water had become red.

The once vibrantly lit room was now dark and heavy as if it was closing in on Janet, "What have you done!"

"I cleansed the blood line of the weak." The lights went out in most of the room as the crystal formations throughout the room turned casting light into a center point. In the center of the room now was a large golden mask with silver filigree coming out under the eyes. Around the head was a golden crown with gem leaves wrapping around the head the tops of the crown came to curved points tipped with diamonds.

"Why did you kill him!"

"I did so to keep the blood line pure and to make sure he kept his mouth shut."

"I will find you and I will stop you."

"You can try Wasp but I think you should worry about the other royals in the building if you are so upset your actions killed just one man." The mask vanished and the room became bright once more.

Janet yelled into her comm. "Maria, get all the masks off the people now!"

Maria spoke back, "Why do we need to...wait I am getting reports people are losing there heads what is going on?"

"The emperor he is killing them all just get the masks off!" Janet flew out of the throne room only to be greeted by the sight of five headless bodies and a sea of blood the heads acting as islands. "How could they do this?"

"To keep secrets some people will do anything. Janet return to the helicarrier now...Janet are you there?" Maria turned her comm. to another channel, "I need a medical team to the throne room now"

A team of five agents burst through the metal doors looking at the scene of blood then spotting Janet full sized lying on the ground. The team looked her over quickly checking her pulse before a man on the team spoke, "Maria we have her she is unconscious and barely hanging on. We do not want to waste time bringing her down the stairs we are blowing a hole in the wall have the infirmary ready she took a lot of damage."

Janet would wake a day later in a private room on the helicarrier it was a simple room with bed a fake window a metal table with a black lamp. She slowly sat up then grabbed her stomach a second later two doctors and a nurse ran in the doctor speaking first, "Just lay back Janet you are okay you are on the Helicarrier safe and sound."

Janet would nod and lay back down, "What happened to me?"

"After your fight you passed out you lost about two liters of blood and have a two fractured ribs as well as hairline fractures on your forearms. The gash in your stomach was shallow enough we could close it with a medical spray you will still feel pain but it will heal much faster. We have inserted micro splints into your arms that will dissolve in a month your other wounds are sealed and clean you just need to rest."

Janet nodded, "How long was I out?"

"About a day."

"How did the mission go?"

"I will answer that one, doctors you are excused for now." Maria Hill stood in the door way of the room before stepping in and letting the doctors leave. "It was a success we have gained a lot of Intel."

"How many died?"

"Janet it was not your fault."

"How many died?"

"12 shield agents and 148 royals were killed."

Janet turned away from Maria, "how many royals lived?"

"52 are in holding." Maria sat on the edge of Janet's bed, "You cannot blame yourself for this."

"How do you do it? How do you stay strong even when your decisions your late reactions cause the deaths of those around you?".

"You don't. You have to see past the loss and find the good. Those who died today died knowing their death helped the world. I know it all sounds cliché as if I am just some cold person with no feelings repeating the same speech but it is all any of us know what to say at these times."

"And the ones your actions killed, those who you were not on your side."

"You did not kill any of them Janet."

"I did not do enough to gather intel we should have known they would kill their own."

"We can sit here all day Janet and talk about this loss of life but we have to know they lost their lives because of another person's fear. They chose to kill them we had no way of knowing their masks would kill them."

"If I had not rushed in they might have lived."

"All you can focus on now is finishing the fight and taking out the emperor and make him pay."

"Then show me the next step I want to take him down."

Maria smiled, "okay then let's get to it."

A nurse walked in pushing a wheel chair towards the bed, "Doctors orders."

Janet looked at the metal chair with a black seat and sighed lifting herself out of bed and into it slowly. She looked down at the gown she was in and shook her head, 'Okay first off I need to change and second what kind of color is this it is a mix of grey cement and baby snot." She shuddered a bit, "And I need a bath. I am sorry Maria but some things come before mission briefings and plans and that is living something only I can do."