Chapter 12 – Flight to Busan

The Quinjet sliced through the night sky, its engines humming steadily against the silence within. The aftermath of the battle weighed heavy on the group, bruised bodies and shaken minds haunting the cabin. Clint Barton sat at the controls, his hands steady on the flight stick despite the tension etched into his face.
Behind him, the team sat scattered, leaning into seats or slumped against the walls. Natasha was silent, her sharp eyes scanning the darkness outside. Tony tinkered with a damaged gauntlet from his suit, his usual quips muted by exhaustion. Steve sat near the rear, staring at his shield, lost in thought. Thor rested with Mjolnir cradled in his lap, his stormy gaze fixed forward. Bruce was quiet, his head bowed, still rattled from what he had done under Wanda's influence. And Ben, rubbing a sore shoulder from the fight with Hulk, paced uneasily near the cockpit.
"Where are we going?" Ben finally asked, breaking the silence. His voice carried a mix of frustration and fatigue, the exhaustion of the day catching up with him.
Clint glanced over his shoulder briefly before turning his attention back to the controls. "Safe house," he said simply. "We need to regroup, recover, and figure out what the hell to do next."
Ben folded his arms, his brow furrowing. "Safe house? You think Ultron's just gonna wait around for us to lick our wounds?"
Clint didn't respond immediately, letting the hum of the engines fill the space. When he finally spoke, his voice carried a sharp edge. "Look, kid, I don't like it either. But we've got half a team who can barely walk straight right now. We're no use to anyone like this."
Ben sighed, running a hand through his hair. He knew Clint was right, but it didn't make him feel any better. Sitting still while Ultron moved forward felt like losing.
Suddenly, the Quinjet's system chirped—a high-pitched alert that made everyone in the cabin straighten. Clint's attention snapped to the console as new data scrolled across the screen.
"What is it?" Natasha asked, moving closer to Clint.
Clint narrowed his eyes at the display, his fingers flying over the controls. "It's Ultron," he muttered. "He's in Busan."
Tony looked up sharply, his gauntlet forgotten. "Busan? What's he doing there?"
The system continued to chirp, the data pinpointing a specific location. Bruce leaned forward, the tension in his posture growing. "Helen Cho's lab," he said, his tone dark.
Thor furrowed his brow. "The scientist who aided S.H.I.E.L.D.? Why would he target her?"
Bruce stood, his shield slung across his arm. "He's after her regeneration tech, maybe even the cradle," he said, his voice heavy with realization. "If he gets his hands on that tech…"
"We can't let him," Natasha finished, her tone resolute.
Clint sighed, altering the Quinjet's course. "Guess the safe house is off the table. Busan it is."
The team exchanged glances, their exhaustion temporarily set aside as the urgency of the situation took over. Steve turned to face the group, his commanding presence cutting through the tension. "We need to move fast. The longer Ultron stays in that lab, the worse this gets."
Thor rose, lifting Mjolnir. "Then let us end this quickly."
Ben stepped forward, his Omnitrix flickering faintly. "Count me in. I've got a feeling we're gonna need every edge we can get."
Steve nodded. "Thor, Ben, and I will infiltrate the lab. The rest of you stay here and monitor the situation. If things go sideways, we'll need backup."
Clint smirked faintly, though his focus remained on flying. "Yeah, because that's worked out so well tonight."
The faint attempt at humor earned him a small smile from Natasha, but it didn't break the tension hanging over the team. The Quinjet surged forward, slicing through the dark clouds on its path toward Busan.
In the distance, the city lights glimmered against the coastline—a sharp contrast to the storm brewing within the team.
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