Avengers Generations

Chapter 15

The kids and agents froze on the spot - not daring to move as the three armed terrorists stalked around them with a cold, cruel confidence. Two of them quickly grabbed the agents and held their weapons to their necks. One of the men stopped in front of Tori, grabbed and twisted her arms behind her, held the blue, glowing blade to the girl's throat, and looked to his leader for a signal.

Raza - who still stood at the opening in the ruined warehouse's wall - smiled as he fondled the ring on his hand. "What is your name?" He asked, and called her something she wouldn't repeat in front of her mother.

"Tori." She responded shortly, breathing small, quick breaths as she felt the cold blade on her skin.

"Your full name." The armed man said angrily, and stroked the weapon menacingly down her neck.

He didn't press hard, but Tori could feel it cutting into her skin. She trembled despite herself, and answered the man in a defeated and terrified voice. "Victoria Harley Stark."

"Very good." Said Raza demeaningly in his middle-eastern accent, looking her over in the dim lighting "And... Who are these people?"

Tori glanced around and saw that the two other armed members had Coulson and Sharon in the same position as herself. She saw Einmyria, standing tall and unafraid; she saw Anthony, looking at her with a scared, worried, and angry face; and she saw Jake, looking deeply at her, his lips open slightly with a concerned breath.

"Well...?" Raza said with hints of an angry tone.

Tori took in a deep breath - she was scared, but for the sake of her team she knew she couldn't be submissive and pathetic. She stood tall like Einmyria, even if the pain of the blade felt sharper on her neck. "We are the Generation." She said hotly, using Raza's own words "And we will be your Avengers."

The leader smirked with amusement. "Well said, Stark." He said. Then he motioned to the man holding the weapon to her throat "Kill her."

Tori closed her eyes and gasped sharply as the pain of the blade shot through her nervous system- and then stopped... She blinked her eyes, and saw Jake holding the weapon in one hand with the man's lifeless body hanging on it, soaking the glowing blue with a gush of dark red blood. There was a silent cheer through the room - not of a commotion, but more of an aura of hope and triumph.

Jake jerked the blade out and let the corpse fall to the ground. He turned toward Raza, so that his body was between the terrorist and Tori. "Are you ok?" He asked her quietly, keeping his eyes on Raza and the two other enemies.

"I think so..." Tori replied, puting a hand to her neck and feeling her own warm blood trickling out - but she was still breathing. That was good.

The two other miscreants looked to Raza with a mix of fear, confusion, and expectation in their faces. They weren't sure whether to attack Jake or to keep the agents under guard.

Raza hesitated for a moment, but then smiled victoriously - which confused the team. He scratched his neck and scanned the room, looking at the children. Then he turned his head slightly and shouted outside the warehouse. Two other armed men came into the dim room as soon as Raza had given the word.

"Kill the redheads and the tattooed boy." He said, gesturing loosely and stepping back. "Don't hurt the proud one." Raza stepped out of the opening, no longer interested in Generation.

Tori grasped Jake's shoulders as one of the men stalked toward them and watched in horror as the other one walked toward Anthony. Her brother's eyes widened with fear and his face went pale. Tori wanted to do something- but nothing she could do would save him- she could only watch.