Metal & Gold

Chapter 23: Shots Fired

We stand there, smiling at each other in silence. Until we hear rapid fire off in the distance and this time it's followed by a roar from the Hulk. We look at each other, Pietro grabs me by the waist and in the next instant we're standing next to a life boat. I spot a Quinn-jet flying overhead. Ultron.

Then I see Clint on the life boat next to us, talking to a woman who is pointing towards a building. Then I see him. A little boy frozen with fear, sitting next to the building. It must be her son. Clint is already jogging towards the boy, when I spot the Quinn-jet holding Ultron, coming over head. Everything happens so quickly. Clint picks up the boy as gun fire is released, I feel a gust of wind blow past me and I know where he's going. Pietro isn't fast enough to dodge all of those bullets. All I can think about doing is protecting all of them. Not another life will be lost in this moment. I create a shield around the three as the gun fire continues. Then I feel it, the cold pain that rushes through my body. Shoulder, arm, thigh, knee and stomach. Then I drop to the floor.

I grasp my stomach, knowing that the others aren't fatal. But this, this might be the end of me. I apply pressure and feel the warmth of the blood, my blood covering my hands. Then Pietro's next to me, applying pressure for me. Then Clint is by my side, and Steve. I look up at all of them.

"Ouch" I groan with a laugh, "Bullets hurt like hell" I say.

The three sigh sadly, pick me up and rush me to a life boat. I lie on the seat, with my head in Pietro's lap. Steve is sitting across from us handing clothes to Pietro who is mopping up the blood that continues to ooze from my stomach and wraps the other bullet wounds. The pain is excruciating, but for some reason I stop myself from screaming every second that there is pressure on my stomach. Soon, the pressure becomes too great, soon the only thing I see is Pietro's blurred face and the distance sound of cracking rock.

Then it's black, and silent.