Chapter 2

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I exit the elevator with Steve and the two of us part ways. I walk down the hallway to check on Clint, where I see Mr. Stark and Dr. Banner talking. "How's he doing?" Dr. Banner asks.

"Oh, unfortunately, he's still Barton."

"That's terrible."

"He's fine. He's thirsty."

I follow Mr. Stark into the room the scepter is in. "Alright. Look alive, JARVIS. It's play time." He walks over to the scepter that's suspended on the table, and I follow. "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." He taps a few buttons on his device.

"The scepter is alien. There are elements I can't quantify," JARVIS says.

"So there's elements you can."

"The jewel appears to be a protective housing for something inside. Something powerful."

"Oh, that's interesting," I murmur, studying the blue looking crystal.

Tony walks over to the table and starts making a drink for Clint. "Hey, kid, can you get me some glasses from the cabinet?"

I open the cabinet and get down enough glasses for all of us and hand them to him. He pours a nasty looking liquid into them and mixes it up. "Like a reactor?" He asks JARVIS.

"Like a computer. I believe I'm deciphering code."

"I'm going to see how Clint's doing now," I say, and start walking to the room next door.

"Okay, I'll be in there in a sec."

I walk through the glass doors where Clint is lying on a table with a machine patching him up. "You sure he's going to be okay? Pretending to need this guy really brings the team together," Natasha says as I walk to the side of the table and stand next to her.

"There's no possibility of deterioration. The nano-molecular functionality is instantaneous. His cells don't know they're bonding with simulacrum," Dr. Cho explains.

"In simpler words, she's creating tissue," I say.

"If you brought him to my lab, the regeneration Cradle could do this in twenty minutes."

Mr. Stark walks in the room carrying a tray of drinks. "Oh, he's flatlining. Call it. Time?"

I look at my watch. "Time of death: 4:25 pm. Clint, you'll be dearly missed."

Clint groans. "No, no, no. I'm going to live forever. I'm gonna be made of plastic."

Mr. Stark hands him his drink. "Here's your beverage."

"You'll be made of you, Mr. Barton. Your own girlfriend won't be able to tell the difference," Dr. Cho assures him.

"Well, I don't have a girlfriend." Clint lifts his head and takes a sip of his drink.

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