The rise of the White Widow

Explosion :)

We finally approach the entrance of an old, dilapidated mine shaft. As we peer into its dark, foreboding depths, we realize that most of our group won't be able to fit because of the debris from the collapsed sections of the tunnel. Everyone except for me, that is; being the smallest among us gives me an advantage in this situation.

This realisation sparks an intense argument among us.

"You're not going down there, Alex! You'll fucking kill yourself!" Nat exclaims, her voice filled with concern and fear.

"What other choice do we have?" I shout back, frustration evident in my tone. "I'm the smallest. No one else will fit. We have to save the city!"

Nat's expression softens, and she whispers with tears in her eyes, "I can't lose you again."

Moved by her sincerity, I pull her into a tight hug and whisper reassuringly into her ear, "You won't."

With determination in my heart, I turn away from the group and sprint toward the mine shaft without looking back. Nat's anguished cries echo behind me, but I can't afford to stop now. I slide headfirst into the narrow gap, falling a few feet before landing on the cold, damp floor of the tunnel.

Picking myself up and dusting off my clothes, I take a moment to survey my surroundings. The darkness is almost suffocating as I move through the collapsing mine shaft cautiously.

I press my fingers to my earpiece and report back to the group: "I found it." The mission has only just begun; nothing will stand between us and saving our beloved city from imminent peril.

"You guys need to get to safety," I urgently whisper into the earpiece.

"We're not leaving you behind!" Nat replies, her voice tense with concern.

"Nat, listen to me. If this bomb goes off, I want you all to be alive and far away, not dead alongside me," I plead with her.

There's a brief pause before I hear Clint's calm voice reassuring Nat and persuading her to evacuate. Then, the line falls silent.

Heart pounding in my chest, I carefully approach the bomb and pry off the metal panel concealing the tangled web of wires. As I inspect it, a small note catches my eye. With dread washing over me, I read the chilling message scrawled on it: 'Tricked ya.'

Nat's pov

We finally reach the car, our breathing heavy from running. Suddenly, a massive explosion thunders behind us. Turning around, panic surges through me as I see the mine shaft that Alex entered now engulfed in flames.

Acting on impulse, I start sprinting back towards the burning entrance, but Steve grabs my arm, yanking me to a halt. Adrenaline fuels my muscles as I wildly thrash and scream at him.

"Let me go!" My voice cracks from desperation.

Despite my relentless struggle and tears streaming down my cheeks, Steve's grip remains unbreakable. My throat starts becoming raw from all the screaming and yelling. I try once more to plead with Steve but my weakened cries barely form any words.

Eventually, as a wave of defeat and exhaustion washes over me, I collapse onto my knees on the hard ground, still shaken by the catastrophe that had just unfolded.

After several tense minutes of unnerving silence, a faint crackling sound filters through our earpieces. The static is just loud enough that we have to strain to discern the words hidden underneath.

"Are you guys gonna leave me here or what?" Through the interference, we recognize Alex's familiar voice.

Our gaze shifts in unison, and we see Alex in the distance, dragging her injured leg as she limps towards us. Wasting no time, I scramble to my feet and rush over to her as quickly as possible. The moment I reach Alex, she crumples into my arms, struggling to maintain consciousness. This is followed by a painful coughing fit that she's clearly fighting through.

Trying to muster a smirk despite her pain, Alex gasps out between coughs, "Death doesn't suit me, you should know that."

Tears streaming down my face, I manage a shaky laugh. "Please, don't ever scare me like that again, or I'll have to see if death suits you better," I joke with her.

Alex's laughter mixes with mine for a brief moment, but then her eyes roll back into her head and she collapses. Panicked, I quickly scoop her unconscious body into my arms and hurry back to the others waiting anxiously.

As I approach, Bruce's eyes grow wide in disbelief. "How the hell is she alive!?" he exclaims.

I shake my head firmly. "That's not something we need to worry about at the moment," I reply, shifting my focus towards getting Alex the help she desperately needs.

Without wasting any time, we pile into the car, myself still cradling Alex and Tony takes the driver's seat. He steps on the gas pedal, speeding off towards the Avengers Tower where we know Alex can receive medical attention.

Once safely inside the Tower, Alex gets treated by expert medics who work around-the-clock to ensure her recovery. In these moments of chaos and fear for our friend's well-being, our friendship grows stronger as we confront this life-threatening situation together. And though we still don't understand how Alex managed to survive what seemed like certain death, we remain optimistic that she'll pull through and are simply grateful she's still alive and by our side.

Alex's pov

The moment I finish reading the note that says "tricked ya," my heart races, and I know I have to get out of here as quickly as possible. I sprint towards the spot where I had fallen down the mineshaft earlier. Desperation fuels me as I hurriedly climb up, using any rocks or ledges I can find for support.

I barely make it out of the entrance before a deafening explosion erupts behind me. The force of the blast knocks me off my feet and sends me sprawling to the ground. As I lay there, disoriented, the smell of smoke invades my nostrils and makes it hard to breathe.

After a few moments had passed and the ringing in my ears subsides, I push myself up from the ground, still trembling from the ordeal. My breathing is laboured, and each cough feels like a punch to my chest.

As I begin walking away from the charred remains of the mineshaft, I shakily raise a finger to my earpiece and speak into it, "Are you guys gonna leave me here or what?"

As I glance into the distance, I notice a blurry figure approaching me. I squint my eyes, trying to focus, and recognize Nat sprinting towards me. I rub my eyes to clear my vision, and as she reaches me, my body weakens and my legs give out from under me. I slump into her arms, the edges of my consciousness fading.

My chest convulses with a series of painful coughs that shake my entire body. Gasping for air between each spasm, I manage to force a weak smirk and say, "Death doesn't suit me, you should know that."

Tears overflow from Nat's eyes as she releases a shaky laugh in response. "Please," she pleads, her voice cracking with emotion, "don't ever scare me like that again, or I'll have to see if death suits you better." She attempts to lighten the mood with her playful tone.

A soft chuckle escapes my lips before I feel everything slipping away from me again. My eyes involuntarily roll back into their sockets as darkness envelops me and I lose consciousness in Nat's arms.