The Infinity Stone

8

Thor raced to Loki's cage, while Aria decided to find some answers. She figured Barton had to be near, and he would be the best start. She closed her eyes, and placed her hand on the ground. A blue light began to spread around her hand, seeking out familiar footsteps. Her eyes snapped open when she located them, and sprinted off. 

She saw Clint about to hit Nat, but interfered like she had done with Hulk. Clint and Nat take a moment to look at his arm, and find the person behind it. While he was distracted, Aria twisted his arm, making him writhe in pain. Using his other arm, he tosses the knife over and began to slash at Natasha. She dodge every time, but eventually finds herself in a lock hold with him. " A little help?" Nat asked out.
" Just bite his wrist." 

So she did. Clint lets go of the knife and slammed his head against the pipe rails. Barton goes down hard, and looked up at the two, coming to his real senses. 

" Natasha.." Aria punched him, knocking him out.
" What was that for?" 

" Two reasons, he still owes me twenty bucks, and better safe than sorry." She answered, looking at the unconscious man below them. Aria crouched down, confusing the older woman.
" What are you doing?" 

" I need his mind." She said placing her hand against his forehead. Nat watched as she closed her eyes, concentrating on her new task. It was quite for a moment, then Aria's eyes snapped open, starling Nat in the process. Her eyes had a hint of yellow in them, she stood up hurriedly. 

" What did you see?" Aria looked around, trying to find an exit.
" Um, don't worry bout it," she faced the red head, looking seriously. " Please don't tell him I did that. He's back to normal, I made sure. Oh, and make sure my dad doesn't get himself kill, till I get back." She said quickly, running out.
" Where are you going? You could at least help me carry him out," Nat yelled out, but no one replied. " Damnit." 

"Stark what are you doing?" Fury asked the running girl. She stopped in front of the gaping hole in the ground. She looked at Nick, and saw Phil in his arms.
" I'm gonna kill that mother fucker." Was the only thing Fury heard before she jumped out of the plane. Fury ran to the hole and looked down. He was briefly able to see blue light, then nothing.
" Stark number 1 is unattainable." He said to the rest of the crew. 

" What are you talking about I'm right here?" Tony asked through the intercom.
" You're Stark number 2." Tony was quiet for once. 

Fury gathered Tony and Steve back into the briefing room, missing some members. Everyone there had a look, as if in a daze. A look of numb and shock are shown on their devastated faces. " These were in Phil Coulson's jacket. Guess he never did get you to sign them." He told them, throwing the Captain America trading cards on the table towards Steve. He picked them up and notcises the blood stain. 

"We're dead in the air up here. Our communications, location of the cube, Banner, Thor, Aria. I got nothing for you. Lost my one good eye. Maybe I had that coming.

Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract, regardless of Aria's warning. I never put all my chips on that number though, because I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea, Stark knows this, called The Avengers Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could. Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea, in heroes.

 Tony gets up and walks off, not wanting to hear it anymore but stops within ear shot of Nick. " You lost my daughter. Again. With that physcopath free." 

"Well, it's an old fashioned notion."

Barton was strapped down, while Nat watched over him, grateful Aria came in when she did.