Retaliation

Chapter 21 No Test Runs

Bruce, Jasmine, Nebula, Scott, and I were currently in a test room messing with and figuring out the new time suits with Scott as the subject. I wasn't really helping with anything as I was just standing in the corner twiddling my thumbs while the real smart people did all the work. 

Jasmine and Nebula were adjusting configurations in and around Scott's suit while Bruce fiddled with some small glass containers filled with a strange red substance. I hated feeling useless and dumb but I knew I would just get in the way if I tried to help. Rhodey walked in to check on us and I smiled knowing I could at least talk to him.

"Time travel suits' not bad," He complimented.

"I know right, I have no idea how they are doing it," I added.

Bruce turned around and tried to put something into Scott's suit which instantly freaked him out.

"Hey! Hey. Hey. Easy. Easy." 

"I'm being very careful."

"No, you're being very hulky." Scott broadened his shoulders to try and mimic Bruce's body posture.

"I'm being careful!" Bruce raised his voice.

"These are Pym Particles alright. And ever since Hank Pym got snapped out of existence this is it! This is what we have. We're not making any more."

"Scott, calm down," Rhodey raised in hands in a defensive motion to try and defuse the situation.

"Yeah. There's no need to yell at the poor guy," I added.

"Sorry," Scott apologized. "We've got enough for one round trip each. That's it. No do-overs. Not even two test runs anymore." Scott swiftly yet gently put the container of Pym Particles in his suit. 

I don't think he meant to say it like that, but he was obviously concerned that before Jasmine and I came along, they had two extra. Now they don't. We were all going to do this without even knowing if it was going to work or not.

"It's going to work," We all turned around and saw Clint leaning against the doorway. He was wearing black pants and a grey tank top that showed off his tattoo sleeve. "It has too."

"Have you been standing there the whole time?" I asked. He just simply shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Wait a second," Rhodey interrupted. "Let me ask you something. If we can do this, you know... go back in time. Why don't we just find baby Thanos and you know and..." He made twisting and strangling motions with his hands. Indicating that he wanted to kill Thanos while he was a defenseless baby.

"First of all, that's horrible," Bruce said worryingly.

"It's Thanos!"

"A baby is a baby," I added.

"And secondly, time doesn't work that way. Changing the past doesn't change the future," Bruce said angrily.

"Look, we go back, we get the stones before Thanos gets them. Thanos doesn't have the stones. Problem solved," Scott suggested. Rhodey lifted his hand in agreement with Scott.

"Bingo," Clint added.

"That's not how it works," Nebula deflected.

"Well, that's what I heard," Clint shot back.

"I don't know the explanation behind it but this seems way more complicated than that. How much is gonna change? It's a butterfly effect, isn't it? Would all of the events that made us who we are still play out? Would some of us disappear lost to time?" I asked.

"We would still be here. But it would severely mess with the past timeline for our separate past selves," Jasmine answered.

"So we have nothing to worry about is what you are saying?" Clint asked.