Chapter 10- Escape and the Battle Starts

"So, what's the plan?" Yelizaveta asked, looking between Stark and Captain Rogers.

"We have to get to New York City, obviously, and to Mr. Starks' tower," Jimmy said.

"Liz, is there a way off of this helicarrier?" Captain Rogers asked.

"Yes. I once snuck off of it when me, Nat, and Clint had an assignment in Venice a couple of weeks ago. But we had better go get Natasha. She'd be furious if we went after Loki and didn't invite her," Yelizaveta said as she and Captain Rogers went to the infirmary, Jimmy right behind them. Yelizaveta palmed the door open.

"Nat, time to go. We know where Loki's gonna be," Yelizaveta said brusquely.

"Go where?" Natasha asked.

"We'll tell you on the way. Can you or Liz fly one of those jets?" Captain Rogers asked.

"I can," Clint said, opening the door to the bathroom.

Captain Rogers looked at Natasha, who nodded her head. "You got a suit?" Captain Rogers asked Clint.

"Yeah," Clint said.

"Then suit up," Captain Rogers said as he turned and left the infirmary. Yelizaveta went to her quarters and strapped her glock to her leg and her sword in the sheath on her back. As an afterthought she tucked her knife in her belt. She left her quarters and joined the rest of them as they made their way to the hangar and inside on of the jets. The tech inside looked at them and stood.

"Hey, you guys aren't authorized to be in here," the tech said nervously as he gulped visibly.

"Son, just don't," Captain Rogers said, sounding as if he didn't want to say why they were there and Yelizaveta pulled out her sword.

"And if you don't let us go, I have in my hand a reason why you should," Yelizaveta said, leveling the sword at the tech. The man ran out, like a scared rabbit bolting.

"Smooth move, Liz," Captain Rogers said as Clint got into the pilot's seat.

"Thanks," Yelizaveta said as they all sat down and Clint pulled out, aiming the jet for New York City.

The jet flew into the city 10 minutes later to see Stark fly through the sky and what looked like aliens and bombs going off around them. "Stark, we're on you're three, headed northeast," Natasha said.

"What? Did you stop for drive-through? Swing up Park. I'm going to lay them out for you," Stark said as he rounded a building, followed by the aliens. Natasha pulled out a turret gun and opened fire on the aliens in front of the library.

"Wait. I see Thor and Loki," Yelizaveta said as they swung past Stark Tower and she saw Thor trying to hit Loki with his hammer.

"Nat?" Clint asked.

"I see him," Natasha said as she opened fire on Loki, who fired back with his staff. The jet smoked and flamed and spun crazily as it went down.

"Everyone hold on," Clint said to Yelizaveta, Jimmy, and Captain Rogers. They went down, crashing into the ground hard.

"We got to get back up there," Captain Rogers said as they all ran towards Stark Tower.

They all froze in shock at the sight of a large portal in front of the tower. "Dear lord," Yelizaveta said, feeling the blood drain out of her face as alien creatures came out of it. A large creature went between two of the buildings and aliens came off of it and went through the glass.

"Stark, are you seeing this?" Captain Rogers asked.

"Seeing. Still working on believing. Where's Banner? Has he shown up yet?" Stark asked.

"Dad?" Jimmy asked.

"Just keep me posted," Stark said as Rogers ran to the taxis where Clint, Natasha, Yelizaveta, and Jimmy crouched behind.

"We've got civilians still trapped up here," Clint said as aliens went by on what looked like hoverbikes and Loki was on one of them.

"Loki," Captain Rogers said as if the name was a curse and cars and other objects exploded.

"They're fish in a barrel down there," Captain Rogers said as Natasha pulled out her two guns and opened fire. Yelizaveta pulled out her sword as Clint ran and she looked at Captain Rogers.

"We got this. It's good. Go," Yelizaveta said, pulling out her gun with her other hand.

"Do you think you can hold them off?" Captain Rogers asked Clint.

"Captain, it would be my genuine pleasure," Clint said as he pushed a button and his quiver on his back activated. He picked up an arrow and took aim. The arrow went into the forehead of an advancing alien. Yelizaveta swung her sword with one hand and fired her gun with the other as Captain Rogers jumped off the bridge. Yelizaveta backed to where Clint was, helping people leave a bus that had gotten turned on it's side. When the last passenger disembarked, the two of them went back to Natasha, who was firing away.

"Just like Budapest all over again," Natasha said, her eyes on the approaching aliens.

"Don't remember this about Budapest," Yelizaveta said as she hit an alien in the leg with a bullet.

"You, me, and Vetty remember Budapest very differently," Clint said as he fired his arrows repeatedly and looked up at the portal. Jimmy came up to them, a small gun in his hand.

"Now what?" Jimmy asked.

"Help us hold them off, kid," Clint said as he jumped forward and used his bow as a staff to fight. Yelizaveta flipped her sword in her hand and jumped into the fight, thrusting, parrying, and shooting her gun at the same time. Jimmy was firing randomly and Natasha had jumped on an aliens' shoulders, using a cord she carried to cut off circulation. She jumped off and grabbed one of the alien's weapons, firing at any of them that came close in firing distance. Captain Rogers came back up on the bridge, hitting aliens with his shield. Thunder rained down on the aliens as Thor came flying out of the sky.

"What's the story upstairs?" Captain Rogers asked Thor after he landed and came to join them.

"The power surrounding the Cube is impenetrable," Thor said.

"Thor's right. We got to deal with these guys," Stark said over all of their earwigs.

"How do we do this?" Natasha asked.

"As a team," Captain Rogers said.

"I have unfinished business with Loki," Thor said.

"Yeah? Well, get in line," Clint said as he made an adjustment on his bow.

"Save it. Loki's going to keep this fight focused on us, and that's what we need. Without him, these things could run wild," Yelizaveta said.

"She's right. We got Stark up top. He's going to need us to-" Captain Rogers started to say before a motorcycle came up with Dr. Banner driving it.

"Dad," Jimmy said as he went to his father and hugged him tight.

Banner patted Jimmy's shoulder and looked at everyone. "So, this all seems horrible," Banner said offhandedly.

"I've seen worse," Natasha said in a guarded tone.

"Sorry," Banner said with an apologetic grin.

"No, we could use a little worse," Natasha said.

"Stark, we got him," Captain Rogers said into his earwig.

"Banner?" Stark asked.

"Just like you said," Captain Rogers said, nodding his head.

"Then tell him to suit up. I'm bringing the party to you," Stark said and came around a corner, a large alien that looked like an eel following him and hitting glass buildings.

"I don't see how that's a party," Natasha said, looking a little nervous as Stark flew low to the street, the alien following and destroying taxicabs.

Banner started walking a little closer. "Dr. Banner? Now might be a really good time for you to get angry," Yelizaveta said. Banner turned to look at her, a smile on his face as he walked forward.

"That's my secret, Yelizaveta. I'm always angry," Banner said as he faced forward and turned into the Hulk with a growl and went to face the alien.