Avengers - Time Rift: Iron Maiden

Chapter 16 - The Wire: Part 4 - Resurrection

Page Picture Manipulation by SouthernLolita

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The team returned to the Avenger's Tower and met in the central room. Tony was still speechless and Pepper had left work with no warning to join them picking up Darcy on the way. Lewis clung tightly to Tonya as soon as they were reunited once again as Pepper stuttered "H-how did you ... we all saw ... you ... you were dead ... gone". Loki stepped through the portal "I think it's best if I explain. You small minded mortals tend to grasp concepts better with visual aids, and I've been dying to use the 'flash back hands' since I saw Wayne's World." he said wiggling his fingers and moving his hands up and down "Dodeedoodeedo Dodeedoodeedo Dodeedoodeedo" he smirked as the illusion of that tragic day filled the room.

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Darcy watched as Tonya passed in what seemed to be slow motion and looked at her with the Maiden's visor up. She smiled softly as the tears ran down her cheeks and Darcy didn't need to be able to hear her voice to know what the three words she said were before the visor closed. Darcy stood frozen as the Iron Maiden spun and rocketed into a vertical climb, Ultron blasting the back of the armor with a barrage of energy beams as they continued to climb higher. "Why? Why are you doing this? Can't you see the human race is doomed to extinction no matter what you people do to try and save them? It's in their nature to self destruct" Ultron shouted as they continued to gain altitude. Tonya grimaced each time she was struck with the crimson beams of compressed photon energy Ultron assaulted her with "Shut the fuck up already! Stark made two of us to save this world. Maybe you're OK with failing him but I'm not!" she screamed enduring the growing pain from the blasts as they pummeled the back plates of her armor. "Capacitors are fully charged and the area is clear Yaya" Juliet said. Tonya cringed but still clung to the metal monstrosity she carried despite the increasing pain of each blast as they began to tear through her suit. "It was nice working with you JuJuBee, thanks for being my friend all these years" Tonya said as she looked back toward where she last saw Darcy standing "Full feedback to the reactor on my mark. End game protocol, authorization..." she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, smiling knowing not only would her own time be rid of this menace but her friends and the woman she loved would be safe from him as well "... Tonya Romanov". Juliet's voice filled Tonya's ears one last time "I love you Yaya. Sleep good" she said quietly. At first the battered team of Avengers saw just a flicker of white and blue light from where they stood on the ground far below their friend. Without warning the shining sparkle erupted into a massive ball of blue flame and white hot gas. The shock waves of the blast pushing the flames away from the central point for hundreds of yards layered like the rings of Saturn. All the remaining drones shut down instantly falling from the sky and stumbling across the street as they all came crashing to the ground completely ceasing to function. Tony stumbled forward as he and the rest of the Avengers watched. It was too fast, too unreal and all Stark could do was watch in terror as the young woman who carried a part of him faded in the blast of fire and debris, torn apart along with the monster of his making. Darcy's eyes widened as the sky above filled with fire, the blast melding with the golden glow of evening. It would have been beautiful if she didn't know the meaning it held.

Loki watched from his perch high atop a near by building as the tragedy played out. The Asgardian sighed as he rose to his feet "A shame really. I was fond of that one, she had chutzpah" he said spinning his staff as he disappeared from sight in a flash and reappeared amongst the fallen debris of Ultron and the Iron Maiden. He looked down at the head of the metal monster that had caused all this havoc as his brow furrowed "You on the other hand, I never liked" he said as he crushed what was left of the head under his boot with a thin smile "Now that that's out of the way ...". The Asgardian opened his fingers and the head of Tonya's armor flew into his hand "Alas poor Tonya, I knew her well. You mortals always make such a mess of yourselves in the end." he muttered as he opened the face plate and looked sadly into the empty green eyes that were once vibrant and full of life. Loki glanced back at the Avengers who were too preoccupied with their own grief and consoling an emotionally shattered and hysteric Darcy to notice his presence. He plucked her head from the helmet and tossed the metal shell aside waving his hand once again as bits of flesh and bone gathered around him. "This should be adequate" he muttered as his gaze fell upon the one he knew as Darcy Lewis "Lucky for you, my dear, I do love a good puzzle". With another flash Loki disappeared once again, his passive attendance of the battle remaining undisclosed to anyone else present.