"There you are!" Scott declares as she enters the garage. "We've been looking all over for you."
"Well, I don't want to deal with anyone right now, so go look somewhere else!" Tony pulls a random car door handle but it is locked. She does a high pitch growl and kicks the front tire. "You'd think I'd have left one of these unlocked."
"Where are you going?" Scott wonders aloud.
"Away from here!" Tony walks up to another car and pulls the handle. No luck.
"Where are the keys?" Scott asks.
"They don't have any." Stark grumbles as she hits one of the windows with her palm. "They're all remote entries and I can't UNLOCK!" She shouts at the car.
"Unauthorized user." The car responds.
"They don't have a password or something?" Scott studies the door panel to the nearest vehicle.
"Not manually." Tony says as she pulls another door handle. "And I can't override the lock with my suit still on airplane mode."
"Your suit has airplane mode?" Scott is legitimately flabbergast.
Tony studies Scott for a moment while she thinks. "Yeah, all my suits do. The satellites from our time heist were messing with the software." She looks around the lot studying the cars before looking back at Scott and seeing she still seems confused.
"After Ultron, I felt I couldn't be too safe. I needed a way to cut off the internet, satellites, and external communication." She starts walking toward the end of the garage, where the less high end sports vehicles are. "I suppose I was wrong with that estimate." She approaches a large black Outback.
"I guess that explains why Pepper can't get ahold of you." Scott says.
"Pepper's trying to get ahold of me?" Tony pauses, slightly surprised. "Did you speak with... her?"
"Yeah, she wasn't happy. In fact, she was livid." Scott scratches her head, "but Bruce and I managed to calm her down."
"I can't imagine what you could have said to calm her." Tony looks into the vehicle's windows, still somewhat distracted. "What did you tell her?"
Scott's eyes widened with slight panic. Tony does not notice. "We just distracted her with thee uhh..." Tony looks up to see Scott gesturing toward her belly. "The baby... news."
"I can't believe that worked." Tony mumbles. "I'll call her later. Do me a favor, would you?"
"A favor?"
"Yeah, turn off your suit's airplane mode and grant me access to this guest vehicle." Tony points at the license plate. "Full access, internet, phone, the works."
"I can do that?" Scott is rather surprised to learn this.
"Yeah, just give it a try." Tony responds.
"Oh... ok. I'll see what I can do." Scott looks down at her suit and says, "Siri, can you disable airplane mode?"
Tony raises a questioning eyebrow.
"Disabling." The suit responds. "And please, call me Friday."
"Oh, sorry, suit lady... Friday." Scott looks embarrassed. "Can you also grant Tony Stark permission to use this vehicle?"
"Tony Stark already has administrative permissions for all vehicles in this lot." Friday responds.
"Oh, um.. I'm sorry. Could you grant this young lady full permission to use this vehicle?"
"Scanning." A thin light quickly runs over Tony. "This woman does not match any known driving record databases. Are you sure you would like to grant permission?"
"Yes, please. Full permission."
"Very well. Will you be driving as well?" Friday asks.
Scott looks at Tony. "Will I?"
"No, thank you." She pushes past him and opens the car door. She tries to hide her annoyance at now having to climb up into the vehicle. "I'll take it from here." She slams the door and starts the car.
"Wait! Scott calls out.
Tony notices and lowers the window. "Yes?"
"Where are you going?" Scott is legitimately worried now.
"To get a drink!" Tony says before starting to peel out and closing the window. Loud rock music starts to blair before the car fully exits the garage.
"That's not really helpful." She mumbles mostly to herself as she turns away. "Now how're we going to find her?"
"All Stark vehicles contain GPS tracking." Friday makes Scott jump. "As a vehicle authorizer, you have the ability to monitor her location."
"Oh, wow!" Scott seems relieved. "Good to know." She starts walking back toward the parking lot entrance, admiring the other cars. "Hey Sir... I mean Friday. Am I allowed to drive any of these vehicles?"
"Yes, you have authorization to drive any vehicle in the guests and employee line."
She peaks at several of the nicer cars. "Sweet!"
Later that day *
"How do you get a handle on these things?" Sam complains as she studies her rather large bust. She is holding her hands out as if she is afraid to touch anything.
"It takes some getting used to." Rogers responds, peeking into the rearview mirror of the car. He looks at Sam then toward his other friend. "You doing alright there Bucky?"
Bucky's chest is nowhere near as large as Sam's but she hardly seems to notice as she is lightly caressing her left arm, still getting goosebumps. She lifts her hand and uses it to feel the cool metal from her old vibranium arm, which is now resting across her lap. "I'm still processing this." She says, never looking up.
"Do you three maybe want to get a room?" Sam points at Bucky, her old arm, and her new one. "I can look away if you'd like, but it'd be awkward."
She stops caressing the vibranium appendage and glares at Sam quietly.
"Oh, we're back to this again." Sam complains. She glances down at Bucky's chest briefly and continues. "And why did you get a small chest and I've gotta deal with these Mardi Gras pistols."
Steve laughs loudly, while Bucky looks away, trying to hide a humored smile. She feels her face flush and even that seems new. She wonders how long it has been since she has felt embarrassed.
Steve Rogers notices her face flush.
"Are you sure you're ok there Buck'?" Steve asks
Bucky looks toward her friend and lingering emotions lower her guard. "I don't feel like the same person anymore." She contemplates feeling the arm again, but decides not to. "It's not just the changes..." She lowers her eyes to think for a moment. "I think the latest swap undid some of the inhibitors Hydra instilled."
"Inhibitors?" Sam is legitimately curious.
Bucky looks at her wondering if there is a snappy quip coming. When she is comfortable there isn't, she answers the inquiry. "Hydra super soldiers go under various mental inhibitors, both mentally and physically, to limit emotions and free-will. It helps control them."
"That sounds pretty extreme." Sam thinks aloud.
"It's because the super soldier serum is an all around amplifier." Steve Rogers adds. "Not only does it enhance strength. It enhances your emotions and moral standing. An idealist like Red Skull would suddenly become an extremist, and..."
"And a boy scout would suddenly become Superman." Sam finished the sentence. She looks down to digest this information. After a moment she looks up at Bucky with Sympathy. "They really put you through the ringer, huh?"
They lock eyes briefly and Bucky looks down with a light nod. She looks somewhat teary.
Sam catches herself feeling sad and awkward when she suddenly remembers the blood transfusion. "Wait! I'm not going to turn into an emotional wreck, am I?"
Both Bucky and Steve look at her. There is a brief moment of worry, but the Captain answers quickly. "I doubt it." He says. "The side effects were always immediate." Sam still looks worried. "If you were behaving concerningly, we would have already noticed by now."
Sam frowns, still worried. "What about these recent changes? You know, the gender swap... You were pretty emotional at times."
"What?" Steve seems legitimately surprised. "No I wasn't."
"Yes you were!" Sam continues to insist on her point. "You were always talking about feelings and hugging people all the time. Especially this one." She points at Bucky.
"That's not true..." Steve looks ahead at the road trying to dodge the subject. He does not have to think hard to realize it was true, and he hadn't noticed. After a few moments he looks into the rearview mirror and sees Bucky's face is flush once again. "Was I really that bad Bucky?" He asks her.
Bucky pretends to watch something out the window as she answers. "You were a little touchy..." Her face gets redder.
He looks at Sam hoping she is joking. She just tilts her head to imply she is not. "Between him and Tony, I didn't stand a chance at asking you to the prom." Bucky chuckles.
"Tony too?" Steve asks. "I guess, I never really noticed." He is still watching them both feeling guilty. "I'm sorry if I made things awkward... or uncomfortable for you guys."
"It's not your fault! Don't blame yourself!" Bucky replies a bit more defensively than she normally would be.
Sam looks at her, concerned, and Bucky immediately realizes she is being emotional. She looks back out the window, trying not to be embarrassed.
Sam looks ahead, now worried about the days to come. "I guess we can all expect to behave differently in some way or another..."
Steve finally looks back toward the road just in time to swerve and avoid a black Subaru speeding up the road. "Whoa!" Steve exclaims. Sam and Bucky don't seem to notice much. Steve keeps watching the car zoom away in the mirror. "I hope she slows down." He looks at his friends again, both seemingly gloomy. "You guys ok back there?"
"Yeah..." Bucky mumbles.
"We'll be fine." Sam adds.
Steve can see their worry and catches himself wishing there was something he could do. "Do you two need anything? Stretch your legs? Water bottle? Back support? The little girls' room?"
Sam and Bucky snap out of their haze quickly and stare at Steve dumbfounded.
"We can do some light shopping. Brighten the mood." The Captain looks in the rearview mirror, humored. "Is Coco Chanel still in business?"
"Oh, you got jokes now?" Sam asks.
"I'm just trying to be a gentleman." Steve smiles, mischievously calling back one of their recent jokes.
"Just keep driving, Punk." Bucky replies. "No need to be cute."
"Oh, you think I'm cute?" Steve asks. "Thank you kindly, Ma'am."
"Don't you be batting those baby blues at her!" Sam jokes sassily, shaking her finger at Steve. "She's out of your league!"
Despite being the butt of the joke, Bucky can't resist laughing.
Earlier, at a barn, outside a small homestead, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. *
Phastos picks himself off the floor. Despite not seeing his own reflection, he is fully aware of the changes. He looks at the project he was working on and contemplates taking a break. Realizing it won't make a difference, he decided to continue.
"Phastos! Are you okay?" Sersi enters the room.
"I can't keep working under these conditions." He responds, without looking away from his project.
"Did someone use the stones again?" Sersi asks.
"Either that, or their power wore out." He does not seem concerned.
"Do infinity stones weaken?"
"I don't know." He continues working. "They did break one of them recently."
"Maybe..." Sersi responds, pausing to think.
"What just happened?" A female voice interrupts them. They both turn to look.
There is a young attractive Indian looking woman standing in the doorway. She appears to be in emotional distress.
"Who's that?" Phastos asks, finally distracted from his project.
"I have no idea." Sersi responds.
"It's me, Kingo!" The woman says. "Did one of you guys do this? Where's Sprite?" She turns to leave, disgruntled but suddenly pauses and takes a step back into the room. "Wait." She peers back toward them. "You're both back to normal..."
Phastos and Sersi are now wide eyed, as realization begins to set in.
"Wait, if you're transformed, then that means the others..." Sersi starts rushing toward the door, not making it before they are distracted again.
"Whoa!" Kingo shouts as she steps out of the entrance way.
There is a loud static like snap as Makkari rushes into the room. Her gaze jumps from person to person before turning toward Cersi. "I think it got everyone this time." She signs.
"Everyone?" Phastos asks, legitimately shocked. Him and Sersi lock eyes momentarily.
"We should probably go check with Ajak." Sersi says. All four begin to rush out of the barn.
"Druig?" Phastos asks when she spots a young woman standing by the homestead's doorway ahead of them.
"Yeah, it's me." She responds. "Sprite's already inside."
"Where are Thena and Gilgamesh?" Sersi asks.
Druig raises her head to look around. "They're around here... somewhere."
Ajak's door suddenly swings open and both him and Sprite step out. Ajak's hair makes him look stereotypically native american. He is not very tall, but they easily recognize him by his garb. Sprite on the other hand is significantly taller. His chin is much more chiseled and there seem to be a few wispy beard hairs here and there. Despite his look of concern, Druig can somewhat pick up on elated emotions.
Ajak is surprised that most of the group has already arrived. He looks from person to person, doing a mental count. "We need to gather the others..." He tells them. "And fast."
"What's going on?" Sersi asks.
Ajak looks legitimately worried, almost terrified. He takes a moment to clearly gather his thoughts before speaking. "This last snap..." He takes a deep breath to process what to say. "It was on Earth."
"What?" Kingo asks. "How?"
"It's worse than that." Ajak adds. "Significantly worse!"
"What could possibly be worse than using the infinity stones on Earth again?" Kingo continues, prying for more information.
"Try using a second set of infinity stones." He tells her. This shocks the rest of the group. "And this time the wish was to change the entire universe, not just half."
"A second set of stones!?" Kingo goes wide eyed.
"How is that even possible?" Sersi wonders.
"How much time have we got now?" Phastos asks, suddenly realizing the implications.
"Not much longer." Ajak responds. "But that's not everything." His eyes jump between all of them before continuing. "I remember... everything now..." The air seems to unexpectedly go quiet. "I remember why I was assigned to lead you. I remember why I turned on the celestials..." He takes a deep breath. "And I remember how to kill them."
The wind picks up once more, as if on queue.