Shadows and Secrets (A MCU FanFic)

Chapter 41: Incomplete

Bruce's POV

"We've finally cracked it!" Bruce exclaimed to Nat.

She had been walking around, checking on all the Avengers and making sure that they were doing what they were supposed to, (or at least Bruce presumed) when he had found her.

"You figured out an antidote?" she asked eagerly.

"Well... we think we made an antidote," Bruce admitted. "We made something that should cancel out all of the effects of the neutralizer, but we didn't actually test the neutralizer, so there is no way to know for certain how it works to make a counter."

"But it should work in theory?"

Bruce pushed up his glasses; they had slipped down his nose. He had never been able to pull off the classic anime glasses glint. "Yes. In theory. I wouldn't completely rely on it though."

Nat nodded. "Okay. I'll update Fury. You go tell everyone," she instructed.

Bruce watched her dash down the hall to an unknown location. Nat had a graceful way of walking, like how a dancer always moves and holds themselves slightly differently.

"JARVIS?"

    "Yes, Dr. Banner?" asked the AI. JARVIS always called him "Dr. Banner," even though the formal title was mostly unrecognized. For some reason, most adults disliked recognizing a 16 year old as a Doctor. Bruce liked his hard work being recognized by JARVIS and had a soft spot for the AI, after all, getting 7 PHDs was no walk in the park.

    "Can you tell everyone to come to the meeting room?"

    "Certainly," the disembodied voice replied. "Should I tell them the purpose of the meeting?"

    "Yeah, sure." Bruce walked out to the meeting room.

~

    "So, that's what Nat wanted me to tell you," he finished. Bruce pushed up his glasses on his nose; they were sliding down again.

    "You finished making an antidote?" asked Sam.

    "Yes and no. I finished what I hope will be an antidote."

"So, we don't know that it will work," said Tony.

"But you think it will work?" finished Steve.

"I..." Bruce had done his best, but he was hesitant to put his confidence in something that was purely theoretical. "Probably?"

"Is there a way that we could test it without using the neutralizer on someone?" Clint asked.

"No, not that I know of."

"We can't test it on anyone," Marjorie said firmly, to various nods of agreement.

"Definitely not," Bruce agreed.

Suddenly the door opened and in walked Nat with—

"You kids, making me come in on an off Wednesday," said Fury humorously. "What do you have for me?"

"I've finished an antidote for the neutralizer that should work, in theory," Bruce rattled off before anyone else could interject.

"But we don't have a method for testing it yet," added Thor.

"And we can't try it on anyone without giving them the neutralizer first," said Tony.

"So we can't try it, because we should not give someone the neutralizer," input Marjorie. Bruce noticed that she was holding hands with Bucky, who hadn't said anything throughout the meeting. They had been doing couple-things like that for about two weeks, and Bruce wasn't really sure how he felt about it.