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Chapter Twenty-Two: Smashed to Death

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There was a splitting pain in my head. I lifted my hand to it and it came away bloody. I groaned, turning over. Across from me, Bruce was writhing on the floor, groaning in pain. Shit. That must have been the other guy. Past Bruce, I saw that Nat was pinned beneath some debris.

"Doctor?" she called out to Bruce, who ignored her.

"Bruce, fight it, this is exactly what Loki wants," I tried, pulling myself a little closer to him as pain shot through my body.

I froze at Natasha's warning stare, and moved quickly away from him. I slowly pushed myself up, and began to circle around him toward Nat.

Further down the hall, I saw a few men approaching. I nodded my head toward them to alert Nat to their presence, and she frantically waved them off. I stooped when I reached Natasha and began trying to pull the debris off her. It was insanely heavy, and my whole body ached in protest.

"We're gonna be okay. Listen to me." Natasha groaned in pain as I pulled furiously at the debris. "We're gonna be okay. Right? I swear on my life I will get you out of this, you will walk away, and never—"

I jumped when Bruce's head snapped up. A look of pure rage was plastered across his face. "Your life?" He growled in a monstrous voice, and all the small hairs on my arms stood on end. I could see the green that was beginning to colour his face, as saliva dripped from his mouth. Everything inside me was screaming to run, to get out of there as fast as I could. But I had to free Nat.

"Get out of here, Al," Nat warned, as though she could read my mind. Bruce scampered off, the muscles beneath his shirt swelling grotesquely. "I can handle this, go!"

"Like hell I'm gonna leave you here, Nat," I shot back at her, as the both of us used all the strength we had to push the debris aside. The lights flickered and steam billowed from a tank. I spared a single look up. My heart leapt into my throat when my gaze fell on the Hulk. He released a monstrous bellow that shook the floor. I pulled with all my might at the debris pinning Nat down as I broke out in a cold sweat. I wanted to run.

Finally, finally, the debris gave way, sliding off of her leg. She cried out in pain but immediately lept to her feet, grabbing me by the arm and jarring me into a run. She shoved me ahead of her on the stairs and I pumped my legs as hard as I could, the sound of the Hulk's thudding, rapid footfalls matching the pace of my heart.

"Natasha!" I cried, as she just narrowly dove out of the Hulk's reach, hauling herself over a railing further ahead.

She grabbed my hand, leading me through the pipe system in the ceiling of the room below us, where the Hulk roared in frustration. Our feet pounded against the grates under us, and I almost choked when the Hulk tore one down, just inches behind me.

We dove through a vent and dropped down into the adjoining room. Nat slowed her pace, and lifted a finger to her lips, signaling me to keep quiet. I nodded, still holding on to her hand like a scared little kid.

With her free hand, she extracted her gun, and we moved slowly through the room. The only thing I could hear was the distant sound of the Hulk's booming footsteps. We turned a corner. A bellowing scream tore through the room, and I spotted the Hulk's face behind some tanks. I jumped, as Natasha sunk a bullet into a pipe overhead, obscuring the Hulk's line of sight with steam.