The Avengers aircraft landed at the Avengers tower in New York where Clint and Jamie were taken by Dr. Cho to have their wounds tended to.
Hill walked up to Tony and said, "Lab's all set up, boss."
Tony pointed to Steve. "Uh, actually, he's the boss. I just pay for everything, and design everything and make everyone look cooler."
"What's the word on Strucker?" Steve and Delia asked.
"NATO's got him," Hill replied.
"The two enhanced?" Steve questioned.
"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Twins. Orphaned at ten when a shell collapsed their apartment building. Sokovia's had a rough history. It's nowhere special but it's on the way to everywhere special."
"Their abilities?" Nia asked, smirking lightly at her own.
"He's got increased metabolism and improved thermal homeostasis. Her thing is neural electric interfacing, telekinesis, mental manipulation." Steve and Nia looked at her oddly, and she rephrased the statement so they could understand. "He's fast and she's weird."
"Well, they're going to show up again," Steve said.
"Agreed. File says they volunteered for Strucker's experiments. It's nuts."
"Right. What kind of monster would let a German scientist experiment on them to protect their country?"
"We're not at war, Captain."
"They are." He glanced at his daughter. "Are you going to the lab to see your brother?"
Nia shook her head. "No, not now. If I go now, I'd probably make a scene and I don't think Dr. Cho needs that."
"So you're actually choosing to behave for once?"
"Don't act so surprised."
BANNER'S LAB
Bruce, referring to Clint, asked, "How's he doing?"
"Oh, unfortunately, he's still Barton," Tony replied.
"That's terrible."
"He's fine. He's thirsty." He walked over to the computers. "All right. Look alive, JARVIS. It's play time. We've only got a couple days with this joystick so let's make the most of it. Update me on the structural and compositional analysis."
"The scepter is alien," JARVIS informed. "There are elements I can't quantify."
"So there's elements you can."
"The jewel appears to be a protective housing for something inside. Something powerful."
"Like a reactor?"
"Like a computer. I believe I'm deciphering code."
Natasha asked Dr. Cho as she tended to Clint and Jamie's wounds, "You sure they're going to be okay? Pretending to need this guy really brings the team together. And Jamie, well, if something worse happens to him, Nia will probably burn the place to the ground."
"There's no possibility of deterioration. The nano-molecular functionality is instantaneous. Their cells don't know they're bonding with simulacrum."
"She's creating tissue," Bruce explained.
"If you brought him to my lab, the regeneration Cradle could do this in twenty minutes."
"Oh, they're flatlining," Tony commented. "Call it. Time?"
"No, no, no," Clint argued. "I'm going to live forever. I'm gonna be made of plastic."
Jamie laughed softly. "Technically I'm 73. What's another century."
YOU ARE READING
Resounding Grace
ActionAn AI meant to better the world decides destruction is a much better plan and rebels against his creator. A list of Accords is drafted and given to the Avengers and sides are chosen. On top of all that, truth is spilled though not in the most gentl...
