The obliviates | An MCU fanfic

10: One last stand

Steve wheels me around the house. It's calm, spacious, almost a house I'd create in the Sims. We have some spare rooms which is questionable, but we got a good deal out of it. Who knew Steve's diplomacy translated to the house market? We laugh about the dysfunctional family we have going on. It's finally easy between us. He's often hard to read, but he's always sincere. I find his awkward outdated attempts to converse with the others charming. Behind that soldier exterior hides a big dork. He's always working on learning more about the present and it shows. The other day he placed second in Mario Kart, behind me of course. Yeah, I think he's finding his place in this work at last...

"Now for upstairs, you've got to see the view", Steve says with glimmering eyes. I he had a tail it would be wagging right now.
"You didn't show me this house had an elevator, or are you confusing me with Lady Aether?", I joke.
"I'll gladly lend you my services, no cost", he reaches out his hand to me. I feel my heart pumping. It's racing. This is the first time I'm touching his hand. It's warm and rough, but gentle at the same time. He pulls me up from my wheelchair. I lean on him.
"Is this when you announce we're taking ballroom lessons", I comment about our stance.
He smiles. "I wasn't ready to tell you yet." He picks me up. I feel like a damsel in distress. I'm blushing like one. He carries me upstairs. His face is focused, chiseled. I can feel his chest. It seems unbreakable, but cozy and soft too. I can tell he hasn't shaved in a while.
He puts me down in an empty room in front of a window. It looks over the city, a view I've always wished I had. "Who do I have to fight for this room?"
"Yourself. I made sure you got a quiet room with the best view of the whole region", he says passionately. I assume he put in some effort to get me this.
"You didn't have to...", I turn to him, unable to finish my gratitude. He was already facing me. We look at each other, glazing in each others eyes. His lips look really soft, I wonder if this is my shot.
"So uhm...", Steve turns his face to the window, "you must be wondering why we haven't started moving in yet."
The only thing I've been wondering is how to escape his beautiful blue eyes. "Are they still training or...?"
"They're on a mission Kelvin. The final one."
My heart sinks to the ground as he explains the details.

Drakewing

What is taking him so long? I'm waiting on a skyscraper, battle ready. It's time to take Warlock out once and for all. Sergio is attempting to track him from an internet cafe. He's supposed to be armored with Stark tech, wether it's stolen or bought somehow. Blake is going around the city, trying to sense their essence or whatever. And the girls are down this building on standby. I pace around the roof impatiently. It's the same spot Kelvin encountered me and Yeona. "<Aether, is this spot familiar to you>", I come in.
"<Is this a rhetorical or are you that dense>", she replies.
I smirk. The pacing continues. "<Back then, whose side were you on? Were you with the Ascended still?>"
"<I was actually trying to calm you down. Sergio had informed me about you, Kelvin, Evine and Akina. I passed it on to Steve.>"
I stop on the edge. "<How'd you meet him?>"
"<I spotted him at a space expo my father always makes me attend. That caveman is terrible at blending in>", she chuckles slightly.
Imagining it brings a smile to my face. I stretch my arms and look over the beautiful city. It's windstill and late in the afternoon. These people have no idea what's about to go down.
"<Incoming to your west>", Sergio shouts. A laserbeam nicks the corner of this building. I jump back. In the air is Cunningham. Half his body is covered in purple Iron Man lookalike material. In his unarmored hand is a glock 26s. I'm from this country, so I know what a gun looks like. I flap my wings and float up to his level.
"I could still sell you for good money, we can split it", Warlock twists his index finger.
"The Avengers fought hard to restore this planet, I'm not letting you end or disrespect their legacy", I snark back.
"You're neither doctor nor spider, but if you want to play hero so bad, you'll have to pay the price", his face shifts to a focus. He aims his laser at me.
"I didn't come here to chat", I drop down, dodging the laser beam. I fully transform myself into dragon form and fly after him. He easily swerves around it. I try again. He dodges his the same movement, almost like he's programmed to.

"Quick, this teleporter will lead you outside", Yeona yells to the people inside the building. "How long can you still hold it?"
Evine is holding up the pieces of the roof Warlock shot. "Only a little longer, but look", she nods upwards. Smoke is coming from the cracks. Evine's arms are trembling as she groans and struggles to keep the rubble up.
"<Someone cut the elevator wires>", Akina shouts from the ground floor. She's using vines to attach the cut rope. She's using her legs to keep the elevator doors open. Screaming and crying can be heard in the shaft. She's pulling the vines up, almost manually dragging up the elevator cabin.
A male cackle is heard above her. "Your vegetables won't save these people." The rope is cut again. Akina reattaches the cable again. She's currenly hanging over the ledge of the door frame. She's sweating, not ready to let go. "<I need help with these people>", her voice break.
"<What floor are you on Terra>", Yeona asks as she scans the top floor for more inhabitants.
Akina looks for a floor number. Another male voice is heard above her.

Crow is standing between Blake and Skewer. The latter is standing in the doorframe of the elevator. Birds burst into the building through the windows. The swarm around Blake. He tries using his knife to slice them away, but the crows overwhelm him and push him to the ground. Suddenly, his hand reaches out.

Yeona teleports inside the elevator and guides the people outside. And elderly man remains struggles to stand up.
"<Is everyone out yet? I can't feel my arms anymore>" Akina pants.
"<One more>", Yeona attempts to enter the elevator.
"Let me do it", Evine offers.
"You have enough to hold on to", Yeona shouts.
"Let me do this one thing. It'll fall if you get in too. Let me do this one righteous thing", Evine tears up.
"N-no... Please don't", Yeona's body turns stone cold.
"Please God, let this be my redemption", Evine bargaines. She swiftly yanks the man out with her telekineses and pushes him into Yeona. The rooftop crumbles and falls on top of her. The entire floor starts to collapse. Fire quickly spreads inside the room. Yeona yells Evine's name before carrying the man through her other teleporter outside. Yeona watches from the ground as the building starts to collapse in on itself.
"<Guys, you have to get out of there>", Yeona begs with a broken voice and tears in her eyes.
Akina finally lets go of the elevator. She catches her breath as the crawls away from the shaft. She sits down against a wall. She wipes her sweat. Between the loud building destruction she hears the male voices above her again. She listens to them as she spots Markus chasing Warlock through the window.

I try my ice breath. It slows him down momentarily. Steam emerges from his armor. I try my poison breath. A mask manifests on his face. He has a counter for everything I throw at him. I wish there was something else I could do here. I can't communicate this to the others.
"I know about all of your tricks. Truth is, this suit is programmed to protect me from everything you and your gang have shown off." Warlock does a little twirl mid-air as he enjoys the power he holds over me. I don't believe in much, but a miracle would be welcome right now.