Games of Deception (Hawkeye/Avengers)

Chapter 25 - Compromised

-Jacqueline's P.O.V-

 Well, this is bad.

I looked back over to Bruce, who was now in a clear struggle to maintain control over himself. Natasha still hadn't been able to free herself, and I on the other hand was a bit afraid to move.

"Bruce, you gotta fight it. This is just what Loki wants." Natasha was the first to try to reason with him, but it was as if he hadn't even heard her. He curled and uncurled his fists several times, letting out pained groans as he tried to keep himself under control. Natasha and I both knew it wasn't working, and I watched as she tried again to pull herself out from under the pile of metal and steel again, but with no luck. I looked down at my now-bleeding arm, yanking out a decently sized shard of glass when I heard two sets of footsteps hurriedly approaching us. Two agents, calling out to us to see if we were hurt. I waved them away silently, and upon seeing Bruce's current state quickly caught on and fled.

"Bruce, we're going to be fine." I tried, but he only let out another distressed cry, and not in his own voice. I looked to Natasha, and she began to talk to him hurriedly, in a panic.

"We're gonna be okay, alright? I swear on my life, I will get you out of this. You will walk away, and never, ever-"

"Your life?!"

Both of us gasped in shock at Bruce's sudden outburst. His voice had changed to something monstrous, his skin now a pale shade of green when he jerked his head to look back at us, glaring at Natasha. There was no stopping it now, the 'other guy' as he was called had broken through.

I held my breath, paralyzed as I watched Bruce's body completely transform itself, all of his muscles contracting and pulling into something much different. Something huge, deadly. His skin faded into an even deeper green as he tried to stand, but stumbled back several feet away down onto the metal floor as he continued to transform. Once he was able to stand on his feet he still stumbled a bit before maintaining his footing and letting out an ear-splitting roar as the Hulk angrily slammed his massive fists into the walls of the ship.

"Don't move." Natasha whispered, and I nodded slowly while our eyes remained locked on the massive figure in front of us that was beginning to walk away. However, it seemed that the part of Bruce still conscious inside seemed to remember our presence and turned to face us.

Bruce's eyes were the last remaining feature of his true self. I stared into them when he looked back at us, trying to break through to him, but the only response was a brief apologetic look directly back to me before his eyes transformed as well. He was no longer in control. Another roar exploaded throughout the room, and the Hulk began to race toward us.

"Okay, move!" Natasha yelled, and I threw myself up onto my feet and over to her, shoving the debris holding her down to the side before taking off into the fastest run my body would allow in attempt to follow her lead to a way out. Loud, heavy footsteps could be heard quickly catching up behind us as we dashed up a flight of stairs.

"Jump!" Natasha cried out, and although I didn't understand why I did so. At that same moment, I felt the floor under my feet fall away as the Hulk pulled down the staircase with a single hand as if it were nothing. Natasha skillfully flipped herself up over the guard rails onto the next level of the room, while I instead slid myself under them and propelled myself upwards onto my feet again, never for a moment allowing myself to stop. We stumbled a bit when the floor shook roughly underneath us as the Hulk jumped onto the same level with us.

"Next left!" She called back again, and I continued to follow her lead. I slid around the next corner and took off into a faster sprint now that our path was straight and free of debris.