The New Age

Chapter One

"They're a disgrace to this country and to the world at large. S.H.I.E.L.D is a terrorist organisation and they need to be put in the ground for good. The Avengers may well say that they operate as a separate unit, but they are still intertwined in many ways and so they need to have boundaries placed on their actions by the government. We saw what happened the last time they were under their own control, and that led to the destruction of a city due to the the Avengers creating their own worst enemy, the team followed Tony Stark like a dog following its owner-"

I switched off the television as the military general continued talking about our failures rather than our successes as a team. After what happened in Sokovia, the Avengers have a lot more negative publicity than before, so we try to stay off the grid when it's possible. Our base is isolated within the forest in Upstate New York, we try not to make excessive public appearances, and most missions we take part in now are considered to be on a smaller scale.

"Okay, so what's the training for today?" Wanda asked me as we stood in the training room. I've been training her along with Steve, so now she's much stronger in combat, and we've been practising how to combine our abilities in a fight along with using combat at the same time.

"Today's training is us talking." She frowned at me in confusion. "You still haven't properly spoken to anyone about what happened to Pietro-"

"I don't need to talk about it." Wanda cut me off harshly. "I'm fine."

"If you don't want to talk to me, at least talk to Vision. We need you back on the team, because you're still not you-"

"I'll never be me again Scarlett. When he died, a part of me did too. I've never been without him until now, and I don't know what to do with myself. I just need time, okay?" I nodded, her outburst startling me slightly.

Wanda sighed, looking down to the floor as her hair fell to either side of her face. "The hardest part was after the first twelve minutes. That was when I became the older twin, which was something I never wanted to be..." 

I stayed silent as she stood still for a moment, before turning away from me and leaving the training room. 

"Well that went well." I murmured to myself, leaving the room also but turning the opposite direction to head back to the main facilities rather than the bedrooms. Along one of the walls, we had two displays: one for the previous Avengers like Stark and Barton, and another for the fallen Avengers with a picture of Natasha and Pietro. I always look at it whenever I go past, and I just pray that there will be no more pictures showing up on that display.

"That is so cool. It's creepy but it's cool." I walked in to the hangar bay to see Rhodey and Vision together, with Vision using his intangibility to stick his arm through the various objects in the room without doing any damage. 

"When I saw you do that in Sokovia, it really freaked me out, but it makes for a great War Machine story."

"Rhodey your War Machine stories aren't even that funny, people just laugh to be polite." I shouted as I leant against the stairs.

"Some people having manners Maples, you should try it." He teased back as Vision stood there looking slightly confused. 

"I know you're not completely Jarvis, but I'm such some of his sass will leak out of you soon Vision, he can be quick when he wants to be."

"Hey Scarlett." I looked to see Sam walking towards me. "Hill needs to see you in her office. She says it's urgent."

"I wonder what I've done now." I replied sarcastically, getting a chuckle out of Sam. 

I headed up a flight of stairs and along the corridor before reaching Hill's open door. Walking in, Steve was sat in the chair beside mine.

"You've been called here too?" He asked.

"Yeah, otherwise I wouldn't be here." I smirked slightly, kissing his cheek before sitting in the chair. "Where's Maria?"

Behind us, the glass screen on the wall flickered to life, both Steve and I standing up in order to see it. 

"It's not Hill that needs to see you, it's me."

"Hey Coulson, nice to see you again." I smiled brightly as Phil did the same, stood in the middle of his office.

"There's a lot I need to bring you up to speed on regarding my team and the things we've uncovered since our last time with you-"

"Coulson, what happened to your arm?" Steve frowned as he asked the question, and I looked down to see that his arm was in a sling, but the bottom of his arm was missing.

"We have a lot to discuss. That's why I'd like to fly you out here within the next few days so we can talk, it's not the kind of conversation that you have over the phone."

"That's fair enough." I responded. "Send us your co-ordinates and we'll head out to you tomorrow. Do you want us to bring the rest of the team?"

"If you're all capable of coming, then that would be the preferred option, but if that's not possible it's essential that one of you two come."

"Copy that. It shouldn't be a problem for the whole team to come. What is it exactly we're dealing with? Are there more Hydra bases coming back?" Steve asked him, tensing slightly as he mentioned Hydra's return.

"No, something that could be a lot more dangerous than Hydra ..."

"A new human species."

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Apologies for this taking so long, I've been away on holiday for the past two weeks and things have just been hectic.

Things will really start to settle in the next coming chapters, especially with how the story's going to play out. There may even be a certain fight involving Falcon and a new hero... (If you've seen it, you know exactly what I'm talking about)

It's not really a significant chapter, but thank you for reading and please remember to vote and comment it means a lot!

-love from ila